1. School Safety and Security Audits: What Does the Law Require
School Safety and Security Audits: What Does the Law Require? Presented by Catherine Toohey and John Bremer
and
Both

2. What is the district’s responsibility to be in compliance with TEC § 37.108 (SB 11)
The district is responsible for the implementation of a security audit as required by Subsection (b).
At least once every three years, a school district shall conduct a security audit of the district's facilities. To the extent possible, a district shall follow security audit procedures developed by the Texas School Safety Center or a comparable public or private entity.
A school district shall report the results of the security audit conducted under Subsection (b) to the district's board of trustees.
Catherine and John

3. The Texas School Safety Center
 The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) was created in 1999 by then Governor George Bush and authorized by the 77th Texas Legislature in 2001 to serve as a central location in Texas for school safety information, and to provide schools with information including research, training, and technical assistance to reduce youth violence and promote safety in the State.
Catherine

4. What does the Texas School Safety Center do?
§ MODEL SAFETY AND SECURITY AUDIT PROCEDURE. The center shall develop a model safety and security audit procedure for use by school districts that includes: (1) providing each district with guidelines showing proper audit procedures; (2) reviewing each district audit, providing the results of the review to the district, and making recommendations for improvements based on the audit; and (3) incorporating the findings of district audits in a statewide report on school safety made available by the center to the public. Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 923, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Catherine

5. THE TEXAS HOMELAND SECURITY STRATEGIC PLAN: 2005-2010
4. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2.4:
ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF SCHOOLS IN TEXAS.
The Texas School Safety Center will:
Provide schools with a web-based tool to conduct vulnerability self-assessments and meet security audit requirements.
Provide schools with a web-based emergency operations planning tool to develop school safety and emergency response plans.
Develop a train-the-trainer program to educate school officials on homeland security-related school safety.
Ensure schools participate in drills and all-hazards exercises.
Catherine

6. What does the Center for Safe and Secure Schools do?
The Center provides services to school districts in the Houston area as the district’s liaison to emergency management agencies and specifically in coordinating hurricane evacuation and refuge operations. The Center provides training in safety, security and emergency management targeted to the school administrator, both central office and campus based. The Center will provide audits, staff training, table top and functional exercises and consulting on specific needs to school districts or ESCs.
John

7. What the Center for Safe and Secure Schools Brings
The Center for Safe and Secure Schools develops consensus standards based on advice from school districts; federal, state, and local law enforcement and emergency response agencies; non-governmental agencies; universities and medical schools; industry and business.
Since 1999 the Center has done in safety and security reviews in the largest to some of the smallest school districts in Texas as well as in private schools. The Center currently has projects in seven educational service centers and over twenty school districts.
John

8. Purpose of a Safety and Security Audit
The purpose of the audit is to work with schools to identify safety and security practices, policies and needs on a campus and to make recommendations to help the school create the safest environment possible for students.
Catherine

9. Components of the Audit Process
Safety and Security of Site and Building Exterior
Access Control
Safety and Security of Building Interior
Type and Extent of Monitoring and Surveillance
Development and Enforcement of Policies
Development of Intervention and Prevention Plans
Level of Staff Development
Opportunities for Student Involvement
Level of Parent and Community Involvement
Role of Law Enforcement
Crisis Communication
Development of Emergency Operations Plans
School Climate and Culture
Catherine

10. Access Control Intruder Evaluation Non-scheduled
Document date and time
Were exterior doors locked?
Was main entrance monitored by staff?
Are visitors asked for photo ID?
Did staff or students confront the intruder?
Were all students supervised by staff?
John

11. Access Control

12. On-Site Visit Scheduled visit to gather data
Begins with entrance conference
During the visit, team members should follow checklists to ensure that all components of the audit are addressed.
John

13. Entrance Conference
The audit team should meet with staff that represent a cross-section of school personnel. This group might include:
An administrator
A teacher
A school law enforcement officer
A food service or custodial staff member
Any other members the campus selects
John

14. Surveys or Interviews
Surveys or interviews may be utilized to gather data about real (and perceived) school safety concerns from all stakeholders:
Students
Parents
Teachers and staff
Community
John and Catherine

15. Assessment of School and Neighborhood Risk Factors
Vandalism
High Student Mobility
Graffiti
Gang Activity
Crime
Poverty
Adjudicated students
Trespassing
Withdrawal of students (safety)
Child abuse (home)
Effective student-staff relationships
High expectations for student learning
John and Catherine

16. ATF Video from Bomb Threat CD

17. Walk-through of Site Grounds and Building Exterior Buses and Parking
Play/Outdoor Recreation Areas
BUILDING ACCESS
John

18. Walk-through of Building
Visibility
Adequate lighting
Ability to monitor students
Access to classrooms controlled
Access to hazards controlled
Building in good repair
John

19. School Climate and Culture
Look for clues in signage
Converse with staff and students if possible;
~listen carefully~
What types of student programs or activities are there?
anger management
peer mediation
service learning
mentoring, etc
Catherine

20. Student Belonging
Access to all programs and services by all students (low-achieving, disabled, minority)
School spirit or pride
Ownership of school by students and staff
No one predominate social group
Tolerance is emphasized or taught
Catherine

21. School Climate Do teachers and students have a positive rapport?
Do all staff feel responsible for all students?
Are staff visible in halls during transitions?
Are students monitored to prevent violence and bullying?
Catherine

22. Do staff know how to spot trouble and how to respond?
Catherine

23. Emergency Operations Plan
Should be:
Developed by the building safety team
Law Enforcement should be part of this team
Reviewed on an annual basis
Have a well-coordinated safety plan with MOUs with law enforcement and other emergency response agencies
Include detailed maps of facility
Catherine

24. Evacuation Map
John

25. Detailed Map for EOP
Catherine and John

26. Emergency Operations Plan
Safety Drills are in place and practiced regularly
After-Action Reviews are held after drills, exercises, and actual emergencies.
All staff are trained in the implementation of the EOP.
John

27. Mandatory Drills
Drills should be named and announced using plain language instead of code words in accordance with Incident Command Systems and NIMS
NO MORE CODES!
Drill should be taught to students before they are practiced including an explanation of why they are important
John

28. Why no more codes?
…SOPHOMORE ZACK BARNES, 16, SAID HIS FIRST INDICATION THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG AT HIS SCHOOL WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT OVER THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM.
"WE WERE SITTING THERE IN MATH CLASS AND OVER THE INTERCOM THEY SAID 'STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WE HAVE A CODE WHITE. REPEAT, CODE WHITE. 'AND NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT A CODE WHITE WAS,“
HE SAID HIS TEACHER CHECKED A SHEET OF PAPER FROM HER DESK AND THEN SAID THE CLASS HAD TO MOVE.
John

29. Recommended Drills Evacuation (proposed minimum)
Building (one each month)
Site
Lock-down (three each year)
Shelter-in-place
Drop and cover (one each year)
Reverse evacuation
Catherine

30. Incident Command System
Standard, on-scene, all-hazard incident management system based on best practices
Integrated management structure
Features
Common terminology
Organizational resources
Manageable span of control
Organizational facilities
Position titles
Incident Action Plan
Integrated communications
Accountability
John

31. Review of Documents Visitor Procedures
Visitor policy/procedure signs are posted and visible at all entrance doors.
Access is limited to one main entry if possible.
Visitors are required to sign in and show valid ID.
Visitors are required to wear visible, dated identification.
Catherine

32. Review of Documents Emergency Communication Plan
Contact numbers for staff (home and cell)
Updated regularly
Student Code of Conduct
Clear expectations
Consistent consequences
Taught to students
Catherine

33. Review of Documents Discipline Data # of violent incidents
# of expulsions or removals
Consistent consequences for offenses
Do these indicate a safety need on the campus?
Catherine

34. What next?
Principal will use results of audit to create an action-plan for addressing items of concern
Action plan will address short-term plans for items that can be addressed through updated policy, practice or maintenance as well as items that require long-term planning
John

35. Results Results reported to: School board
Possibly to Texas School Safety Center
State Report on School Safety
John and Catherine

36. Deadline
All districts must have their first round of audits completed by August 31st, 2008
Both

37. Resources
Texas School Safety Center Texas State University- San Marcos
Phone (512) Toll-free (877)
Curtis Clay, Director
Catherine Toohey,
Center for Safe and Secure Schools
Harris County Department of Education – Houston
Phone (713) Toll-free (866)
Karl Boland, Director
John Bremer

38. Questions?