A new bill, HB 03, was passed in the Texas Legislature last session and took effect September 1, 2023. Does your school need a school security consultant to help sort through these issues? Do you need to get your staff trained? Southern Charm Firearms Academy has the team and certifications to conduct this school safety training.

School Resource Officer Requirements

Your school marshal or school resource officer can be an armed staff responder but they have to meet some requirements first. Those are:

• A school resource officer must already have a Texas Handgun License and be able to pass the shooting proficiency at 90% at a MINIMUM. This is not a casual conceal carrier that never trains with their firearm! They train and practice regularly.
• They must demonstrate safe firearms handling.
• They must have a quality firearm.
• They must have written permission from administration.
• They must pass a written exam prior to taking this course.
• If that is passed, they must immediately pass the TX DPS Handgun License shooting proficiency at 90% or greater to even start the 2-day course.
• A school marshal (there can be more than 1 designated) is a higher level that has more requirements.

School Safety Training Course Details

The objective of this course is to educate the armed responder candidate on the responsibilities related to school safety who are employees of a school district or open-enrollment charter who hold a license to carry a handgun. Outlined objectives are:

• Protection of students
• Interaction of license holders with first responders
• Tactics for denying an intruder entry into a classroom or school facility
• Methods for increasing a license holders’ accuracy with a handgun while under duress

These topics are not separated into four independent sections or modules. They are covered throughout the curriculum with an emphasis on safety. Each student will participate in 5 practical exercises, one of which involves several drills with their handgun. To complete the course successfully, the student has to participate and pass all of the above items along with a final exam grade of 90% or better. This is NOT a room breaching class. The armed school staff is the buffer until law enforcement arrives and there is plenty they can do to protect the campus and students.

Summary of what the bill says:

The bill adds new Education Code, Chapter 37, Section 37.0814, requiring each school district to have at least one armed peace officer present during regular school hours at each district campus.

• A school district may claim a good cause exception from this requirement based on the lack of available funding or qualified personnel.  The board of trustees of a school district that claims a good cause exception must develop an alternative standard with which the district is able to comply, which may include providing a person to act as a security officer who is:
  • (1)  a school marshal; or
  • (2)  a school district employee or a person with whom the district contracts who:
    • (A)  has completed school safety training provided by a qualified handgun instructor certified in school safety under Government Code, Chapter 411, Section 411.1901; and
    • (B)  carries a handgun on school premises in accordance with written regulations or written authorization of the district under Penal Code, Chapter 46, Section 46.03(a)(1)(A).

This authorizes school districts to contract with private security guard companies (to supplement the required peace officers).  It repeals the requirement that armed security personnel be commissioned peace officers.

Next Steps

Contact us to get your school personnel certified. Our lead instructor, Crystal Duke, is a full-time firearms instructor with over 23 certifications. We can help you be compliant with this new state law and schedule this course by request. Course cost: $597.