DALLAS — Texas has prioritized school safety with the passage of House Bill 3 late last year.
There are several requirements listed including door checks and armed security on every campus. While the state has invested $1 billion in one-time, fixed costs, it’s the recurring costs that are squeezing school districts.
The Dallas Independent School District is considering amending its district’s comprehensive safety program, allowing for private security to help fill the gap.
WFAA talked to DISD Superintendent, Dr. Stephanie Elizalde believes the recommendations are needed but so is funding to ensure the requirements take effect.
“I commend those requirements. I think we absolutely need them. It would also be great if those were actually funded. In order to fund them, we have to take those dollars from somewhere else and that affects our kids as well," Dr. Elizalde said.
One month ago, the education committee of the Texas legislature convened and got an update from Mike Morath, commissioner of the Texas Education Agency. He asked the committee to consider the current district allotment of $15,000 per year for school security.
“If you have that actual sworn peace officer on every single campus in Texas, well a sworn peace officer is going to run you north of $80 thousand for salary, plus benefits, training, TRS, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. So the portion of the FSP that is devoted to school safety allotment funding is generally not going to cover that particular management decision," Morath said.
DISD has 240 campuses. To put sworn peace officers on every campus would cost upward of $19 million per year.
Dr. Elizalde shared that utilizing a level-three private security officer would decrease the cost by about 25% per position. If that change to the district plan is approved, DISD would still be spending a minimum of $14 million each year on armed security to cover each of its campuses.
In a WFAA story earlier this year, DISD shared it’s facing a $186 million deficit for the 2024-2025 school year. It was the recommendation to forward this proposal to the DISD Board of Trustees for approval in its meeting on October 24.
