Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) and Other School Safety Updates

Key Points: 

• The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is posting for public comment the proposed rules to assist and guide local education agencies (LEAs) in implementing the Safe and Supportive Program (SSSP) and trauma-informed care training 
• TEA provides interim guidance regarding training for LEA campus SSSP teams and a November 2020 deadline for limited first-year mandatory data reporting requirements for SSSP teams 
• The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) has resumed the behavioral threat assessment component of the SSSP Team training with an online format this summer 
• The TxSSC announces the multi-hazard emergency operations plan (EOP) review process 

Overview: 

Due to the impact of COVID-19, the TEA and the TxSSC have made adjustments to the SB 11 implementation process, which includes drafting rules to implement the legislation, developing best practice training resources, providing guidance to LEAs, and planning for required data reporting for their SSSP teams. This memorandum provides updates on some of these adjustments. For ongoing updates, please refer to TEA’s school safety webpage located at tea.texas.gov/schoolsafety. Questions may also be submitted to schoolsafety@tea.texas.gov. 

TEA proposes Safe and Supportive School Safety rules: 

SB11 enacted Texas Education Code, §37.115 (b), which requires the TEA to adopt rules to establish a Safe and Supportive School Program in coordination with the TxSSC. These rules also cover issues related to trauma-informed care training, and mental health training. Additional school safety rules relating to facilities standards and mandated drills are also being proposed. All of the rules have been posted or will be posted for public comment in the Texas Register and can also be reviewed at this link on the Commissioner’s Proposed Rule webpage. 

Interim Guidance for SSSP Teams Training and Data Collection: 

SB 11 requires public schools to conduct behavioral threat assessments, provide support, collect specific data on their respective SSSP implementation and outcomes, and report this data each year to the TEA. The guidance below outlines high-level next steps public schools should take to plan effectively. 

1. Ensure that appropriate members of your district or charter school attend behavioral threat assessment training. The TxSSC is hosting a new series of virtual training sessions. Additionally, please reach out to your regional Education Service Center (ESC), as many of them offer approved behavioral threat assessment training. 
2. Begin training on grief and trauma-informed practices for all LEA personnel who regularly interact with students. In May 2020 the TEA posted new resources on its Mental and Behavioral Health Webpage for approved grief and trauma-informed practices training. Any training taken by LEA personnel during the 2019-2020 school year, including this summer, on suicide prevention or grief and trauma-informed practices will count toward the schedule of new requirements for the SSSP. 
3. Collect and maintain SSSP team information and data pursuant to SB11 requirements for the 2019-2020 school year in order to prepare for the November 2020 reporting to TEA. Please note that this data will be collected using a Qualtrics survey and will be based on the SSSP team activities that occurred from September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2020. The TEA anticipates providing a “reduced” mandatory survey section and an optional survey section for the data collection for the LEAs reporting to the TEA. Further information on the types of data to be reported will be issued later this fall, as the SSSP rule is finalized. 

Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) online behavioral threat assessment training for Safe and Supportive School Program (SSSP) teams: 

The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) is currently providing virtual behavioral threat assessment training. The TxSSC is offering up to 20 Behavioral Threat Assessment trainings with a capacity of 150 people in each session for a total of 3,000 people to be served. The TxSSC is also offering 20 Digital Threat Assessment trainings, and five multi-hazard emergency operations plan trainings. In addition, the TxSSC is offering five school safety audit trainings and three charter school trainings this summer. Please refer to this link to access these courses. 

Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) multihazard emergency operations plan (EOP) review process: 

On June 4, 2020, TxSSC sent an email to all K-12 public school superintendents requesting the submittal of the district EOP. This round of reviews is both a high-level overview for some aspects of the EOP and a more focused review of a district’s continuity of operations plan (COOP) and communicable disease annex. The high-level overview will provide important information to establish benchmarks for the status of EOPs across the state and inform changes and updates in EOP training and resources. The focused review of the COOP and communicable disease annex are geared towards preparing districts for the reopening of schools. Questions regarding this process can be directed to the TxSSC School Safety Readiness Division at EOP@txstate.edu.