Following newly passed state legislative requirements, North East ISD is committing to having at least one armed security officer stationed at every campus during school hours.

The NEISD board voted Aug. 7 to have a plan toward ensuring each school has an officer based on requirements contained in House Bill 3. But trustees also voted to be able to possibly claim an exemption under HB 3, allowing a school district to consider alternatives if it lacks enough qualified officers or funding for such personnel.

The background

HB 3, approved in the regular session of the 88th Texas Legislature this past spring, focuses on improving safety in public schools. HB 3 calls for evidence-based mental health training of certain school staffers, and establishes the Office of School Safety and Security in the Texas Education Agency to coordinate with the Texas School Safety Center and with regional education service centers to provide ongoing support and oversight of safety practices.

HB 3 also mandates at least one armed officer during classroom instructional hours at every public school, and that school district peace officers or school resource officers complete active shooter training at least once in each four-year period.



The impact

According to HB 3, each school board will determine the appropriate number of armed officers for each campus. Each officer must be a peace officer already employed by the school district, a school resource officer, or a peace officer employed as security personnel.

HB 3 also provides what the state law calls a good cause exception, for which the NEISD passed a resolution in support. The exception allows a school district an alternative plan if the district lacks the funding or personnel to comply with the requirement.

NEISD officials said the district has more than 80 campuses, more than 70 police officers.


NEISD officials said each campus will have an armed safety specialist who will patrol and monitor school grounds and ensure that doors are properly locked, campus security cameras are operational, and fencing and parking lots are secure.

Safety specialists will also lead safety drills and trainings and assist campus staff during student arrival and dismissal, NEISD officials said, adding that they plan to add more than 40 such personnel in the 2023-2024 academic year.

What they’re saying

NEISD parent Allyson Schuldt-Hamby addressed the school board and said she supported having an officer at each campus during class hours. She said given growing worries about safety of students and teachers, it is not enough for North East police officers to do rotating patrols across a sprawling district.


“Police officers may form relationships. They know who to keep an eye on or belongs on this campus,” Schuldt-Hamby said. “Regardless if you have fences around the campus, that’s not going to keep people out. People still get on campus daily.”