HAYS COUNTY, Texas — Hays Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) will be adding three school resource officers (SROs) ahead of the new school year.
This decision comes in response to a school safety bill, House Bill 3, which will go into effect on Sept. 1. It requires every school in the state of Texas to have an armed security guard and provide mental health training for certain employees.
The Hays CISD's Board of Trustees approved the SRO additions in a vote on Monday night. Under the agreement, three new SROs will be stationed at elementary schools in the district. This will bring the total number of SROs working in Hays CISD from 12 to 15.
There are already SROs present at four high schools and seven middle schools in the district. Below is a list of the schools and how many SROs are assigned to them:
- Two SROs between Hays High School and Live Oak Academy
- Two SROs assigned to Johnson High School
- Two SROs assigned to Lehman High School
- One SRO assigned to Barton Middle School
- One SRO assigned to Chapa Middle School
- One SRO assigned to Simon Middle School
- One SRO assigned to Wallace Middle School
- One SRO between Dahlstrom Middle School and Impact Alternative Education Program facility
Other school districts around the Austin area have already taken steps to bring in more SROs. Austin ISD is looking to hire 74 more SROs, plus additional support staff like detectives, lieutenants and dispatchers.
Del Valle ISD plans to hire more police officers and a special safety coordinator to be compliant with the new security requirements. In a meeting on Tuesday night, board members approved hiring nine more district police officers and an armed safety security coordinator.