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Waco ISD renews 'good cause' exception to armed‑security mandate, approves alternative standard citing funding gap
Summary
Trustees renewed a board claim of 'good cause' under Tex. Educ. Code §37.0814 and approved an amended alternative safety standard, with administration saying costs for full compliance exceed available state school‑safety funding by millions of dollars.
The Waco ISD Board of Trustees voted July 22 to renew its 'good cause' exception to the statutory requirement to have an armed security officer on every campus and to approve an amended alternative safety standard focused on patrols, rapid response and partnerships with local law enforcement.
Chief Cox and other administrators explained that since the 2023 law the district hired additional officers but still lacks sustained funding and sufficient qualified personnel to meet the technical requirement at all times. "Since 2023, the district's cost for armed security officers just for this one piece of our safety and security plan has exceeded the state safety allotment by well more than $1,000,000," the administration said in presenting the background and the proposed alternative standard. Administrators recommended and trustees approved renewing the good cause exception and adopting the amended alternative standard; trustees cited funding shortages and personnel availability as primary reasons for the action.
The administration said specific operational provisions of the alternative standard were discussed in closed session because of safety sensitivities; public action directs administration to continue implementation and report back as needed.
