One week after the mass shooting at The Covenant School, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and other state leaders announced additional actions to strengthen safety at public and private schools across the state.
These measures include enhanced legislation and $205 million in proposed funding to place an armed security guard at every Tennessee public school, boost physical school security at public and private schools, and provide additional mental health resources for Tennesseans.
On March 27, a shooter killed three children and three adults at The Covenant School, a private Christian elementary school in Nashville.
“There is nothing more important than our students safely returning home each day,” said Lee. “As Tennessee grieves the tragic loss of six precious lives in the Covenant shooting, we are taking additional actions to significantly boost safety measures at every school.”
At the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, Lee had introduced a bill to strengthen physical security at public schools and enhance accountability in school safety protocol. Additionally, the governor’s initial budget proposal included $30 million for 122 Homeland Security agents at both public and private schools.
Following the Covenant tragedy, Lee and members of the Tennessee General Assembly have now coalesced around further action steps to strengthen school safety. The governor’s amended budget proposal and enhanced legislation will include the following measures:
FY23-24 Budget Proposal
- $30 million to expand a statewide Homeland Security network with 122 agents serving students at both public and private schools;
- $140 million to establish a School Resource Officer (SRO) grant fund to place a trained, armed security guard at every public school;
- $20 million for public school security upgrades;
- $7 million for private school security upgrades; and
- $8 million for additional school-based behavioral health liaisons across the state.
Enhanced School Safety Legislation (HB322/SB274)
- Enacts a multi-tiered accountability plan to ensure exterior school doors are locked while students are present, with opportunities for corrective action. State and local law enforcement will be authorized to check for unlocked doors.
- Requires that private security guards are held to a high standard and receive active shooter training prior to being posted at Tennessee schools.
- Requires every school district to establish threat assessment teams, a nationally recognized best practice to ensure students are connected to support services and behavioral health professionals, when appropriate.
- Requires every public and private school to develop annual safety plans, which must include a newly required incident command drill for school leaders and law enforcement to prepare for what to expect in various emergencies.
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