Testimony to the Senate Committee on Violence in Schools and School Security
As the Legislature considers proposals regarding police officers in schools, we urge the Legislature to take steps to ensure that schools are safe and supportive, students are successful, minor misbehavior does not lead to student arrests, and Texas’ leadership on smart school discipline policies continues. To improve the effectiveness of school police officers and minimize unintended consequences of their presence on campus, we recommend that the Legislature limit the role of school police officers to school security; require officers at small and medium-sized school districts to undergo training similar to their counterparts in large districts; and collect the data necessary to better understand school policing in Texas.