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Texas Legislature 2023

New school safety laws seek to add armed guards, chaplains and mental health training. Here’s what you need to know.

Experts say many of the changes will bolster school safety but some requirements may be challenging for public schools to implement by the upcoming school year with limited funding and staffing constraints.

Austin Police Department officer Cory Ehrler monitors the entrance to Ridgetop Elementary School in Austin, Texas shortly after classes start on the Monday following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. As the 83rd Legislature approaches, Texas lawmakers are considering making firearms more available to teachers and other school personnel. The Texas Tribune (Smith: School Security). Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune.

What prompted these new laws?

What actions did state leaders take after the Uvalde shooting?

What school safety changes did the Texas Legislature make?

How will schools and the state work together to secure campuses?

Will there be an armed police officer at every school?

What happens if school districts can’t staff their schools with police officers?

What are the rules around guns on campuses?

How will new Texas laws address student mental health?


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Politics Public education State government Department of Public Safety Education Guns In Texas Mass shootings Texas Education Agency