Alvin ISD on Sept. 12 joined Pearland ISD in claiming an exemption to a largely unfunded state requiring school districts install armed security at every campus.
Signed into law June 13, House Bill 3 mandates every public school in Texas provide at least one armed security officer on each campus. The mandate took effect on Sept. 1.
“While Alvin ISD understands the importance of an armed officer on every campus and has been working to meet this self-imposed standard for almost five years, due to personnel requirements, we must adopt an alternative,” Superintendent Carol Nelson said.
The law states that a “good cause exception” may be claimed based on funding or staffing shortages. Pearland ISD trustees last month voted to claim the exception and noted that PISD is experiencing both. PISD currently contracts for armed security personnel who rotate through its campuses.
School districts that file the exception must detail an alternative safety plan with the state.
