Del Valle ISD to add full-time campus security at elementary schools

DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) – The Del Valle ISD school board voted Tuesday night to add full-time security at elementary schools to meet the requirements of a new state law.

The trustees voted to create the position of an Armed Safety Security Coordinator and hire nine additional district police officers. The district estimated the plan would cost $1.1 million and come from the district's General Fund which is also known as the operating budget. Trustees will vote to amend that budget in August, according to the district.

The district said it had to act to fulfill the requirements of House Bill 3.

That law, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in June 2023, "requires each school board must ensure at least one-armed security officer — specifically, a commissioned peace officer — is present during regular school hours at each campus", according to the agenda item posted online. Each board must determine the appropriate number of armed security officers for each district campus, the district said.

The district tells KXAN it has had a full-time police department since 2020.

It has full-time officers at all of its middle schools and at Del Valle High School and the Discipline Alternative Education or DAEP school.

But the district said it needs fully armed staff at the DVISD Opportunity Center and all nine elementary schools to be in compliance with the law.

Two officers currently serve the elementary campuses on a rotating basis.