Jim Richards | |
By Jim Richards
No one wants to dwell on the issue of violence in schools. But this is a problem that isn’t getting better on its own.
Across the country, states are taking steps to make schools safer through legislation. Laws address a range of security issues, from security guards to film and more. These laws aren’t all necessarily exactly what I’d recommend, but I’m glad to see legislators taking action and trying to take hold of this problem.
Overview of Recent School Safety Laws and Legislation
While there are many states with school safety legislation either on the books or working its way through the system, I’d like to discuss four states with recent legislation requiring schools to meaningfully increase physical security in specific ways: Texas, Tennessee, Delaware, and Missouri.
Texas
Texas’s safety standards include armed security guards and increased building safety standards. This law specifies windowed doors, ground-level windows, and windows adjacent to exterior doors all have “entry-resistant film” to prevent forced entry. Campus security grants will be allocated on a per-student basis, with an $15,000 available per school building for security upgrades.
Most importantly, Texas spells out “common sense” measures that often go neglected:
- Exterior doors and class room doors must operate properly, remain closed and locked while the area is in use, and allow for quick emergency exit.
- Roof doors must remain closed and locked unless someone is actively up there doing maintenance.
- Doors can only be left unlocked during the school day if they are being actively monitored, or within an area that’s already actively access controlled.
- There must be regular exterior door sweeps to ensure all of this is actually being enforced, and that doors function properly. If the sweep finds an irregularity, it has to be reported to the school safety/security committee and the principal.
Tennessee
All Tennessee schools must create and run armed intruder and emergency safety bus drills, and keep exterior doors either than the primary entrance locked at all times. On top of that, schools built or remodeled after July 1, 2023 are held to a higher set of security expectations, including:
- locks on each classroom door that can be bolted from the inside
- a secure “man trap”-style vestibule at the primary entrance to the school building
- “clear, bullet-resistant or entry-resistant film on the glass panel of each exterior entry or basement level window and door” to prevent forced entry.
Delaware
Delaware passed HB49, their Comprehensive School Safety Program, in 2018, making significant amendments in 2024. Currently, Delaware law requires new school construction or major renovation projects include secured vestibule at the primary entry, reinforced with ballistic materials, where visitors are screened prior to entry.Missouri
Missouri HB1108 requires school districts to ensure there are bullet-resistant doors and windows at all entryways, and bullet-resistant glass for any exterior window large enough for someone to use to gain entry. Importantly, the law mandates that money from the state’s Classroom Trust Fund must be spent on installing these safety features until every school has them.
Take School Security Legislation with a Grain of Salt
School security legislation always starts with the best intentions. But, legislators cannot be experts in everything they’re expected to legislate. Security is no exception.
For example, when you combine the per-pupil campus security grant for the average Texas elementary school, plus an additional $15,000 for upgrades, your total is around $20,000. That doesn’t get you far on a ballistic vestibule entryway, which is the most effective and efficient way to protect a school from targeted violence.
The law in Tennessee mandates schools install “bullet-resistant or entry-resistant film.” Bullet-resistant film doesn’t exist. And as the Wall Street Journal recently reported, schools are spending millions of dollars on a product that won’t keep them safe from bullets.
That said, there are good things in these laws. I really like that the Missouri law includes a way to fund these requirements, and does so fairly. That’s extremely important. There isn’t a primary or secondary school in America that has money to spare. I also like that the Texas law doesn’t just mandate a one-time fix to the building, but a long-term change to procedure. Security always hinges on having good procedures, and making sure people understand and follow them.
Five Tips to Improve Physical Security for Schools
1. Talk to Experts
Make sure to partner with a security expert before moving forward. Legislators aren’t security experts, and so it’s possible to follow the letter of the law and without creating a safer environment for your students. Experts can also help you find the right solution for your unique situation and it’s often the case that a few key design decisions can make a big improvement to building safety.
2. You Need Good Processes in Addition to Good Products
Having a bulletproof door doesn’t keep anyone safe if that door is propped open most of the time. Laws that require training drills and door sweeps are a good idea because they establish vital processes that make the products a good investment. So, when you do invest in that bulletproof door, your team will know how to use it and it can keep you safe when you need it most.
3. Focus on the Entryway
There’s a reason these laws so often mention having a single, secured and monitored point of entry for the building: It’s a big investment, but it makes a big difference. I explain why in this school walk-through video.
4. Bulletproof Barriers Can Look Good
We are long past the ugly bulletproof barriers of the 1990s. Materials and manufacturing processes have advanced, as have our aesthetic capabilities. Modern bulletproof barrier systems can blend in with your existing architecture so you can trust your students are protected without compromising the aesthetics of the learning environment.
5. Start Planning Early
It can take several months to solidify the details of your school security project. Once TSS engages with a project, we can have your system installed within two to four months. If we get an order in March or April, we can deliver in the summer. But that order is the culmination of a project that’s been in the works since the fall. We always recommend speaking with us as soon as possible because we know how much time it can take to get a truly effective barrier system in place.
TSS Can Help You Comply with State Law
For the last 20 years, we’ve helped schools across the country protect their students, staff, and administrators. If you need to update your school security to comply with your state law or simply want to improve safety outcomes, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or download our free infographic about school security best practices.
Jim Richards is the CEO and co-founder of Total Security Solutions, an industry leader in the design, fabrication, and installation of custom bulletproof barriers. Jim has decades of experience in the bullet-resistant glass and physical security industries. You can sign up for his free security newsletter which offers security advice once a quarter; no sales pitch, just insight and advice.
