Adopted TEA Rule Governs Mandatory School Drills and Active Threat Exercises
The TEA’s adopted revisions to a rule governing mandatory school drills and active threat exercises were posted in the Oct. 6 Texas Register and became effective today (Oct. 10).
The adopted rule:
- Makes no changes (from the version proposed for public comment in June) in the mandatory school drills part of the rule — except for adding “open-enrollment charter schools” in a few places in the rule text. This was done at the suggestion of the Texas Public Charter Schools Association to make it “abundantly clear” that charters are included in the rule’s requirements.
- Makes no changes from the prior proposed version of the rule governing active threat exercises.
The TEA noted that the Texas State Teachers Association expressed support of both parts of the rule — especially regarding active threat exercises because it “discourages student participation, requires all participants to opt in versus opt out, and permits exercise participants to withdraw from the exercise at any time.”
More info:
- Adopted Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 103, Health and Safety, Subchapter CC, Commissioner’s Rules Concerning Safe Schools, §103.1209, Mandatory School Drills, and §103.1211, Active Threat Exercises
Summary: The adopted amendments reorganize definitions and provide clarifications in §103.1209 and add requirements for certain active threat exercises in §103.1211. Section 103.1209 was adopted with changes since published as proposed.
Publication in the Texas Register: October 6, 2023
Effective Date: October 10, 2023
Source: TEA
