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RICHARDSON ISD
RICHARDSON ISD
RICHARDSON ISD
richardson isd spending
existing security measures A number of safety measures are in place at RISD schools thanks to various district funding measures.
officers on site RISD maintains a Safety & Security Department that provides campus- wide support.
efforts to improve security By the start of the 2022-23 school year, RISD will fully assess its security and safety protocols. RISD is undergoing a third-party security audit to ensure best practices are in place at all campuses. Approved for safety and security upgrades as part of the 2021 bond election. $12.7M The district has released a security-specic video for parents and the community to help demonstrate dierent safety measures.
As it did for the 202122 school year, Richardson ISD plans to spend about $2.6 million from its operating fund on security and safety.
2022-23 $2.58M of $391.4M operating fund* 2021-22 $2.59M of $382.16M operating fund*
0.66%
School entrances have double-door security, camera coverage and remote monitors.
Multiple full-time ocers are assigned at each high school. Full-time ocer is assigned at each junior high. RISD elementary campuses are assigned a part-time o cer. Additional full-time ocer rotates between other elementary campuses.
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Doors have keyless, automatic locks with electronic monitoring at all entrances. Interior surveillance cameras cover school corridors. Campuses have exterior cameras and outdoor perimeter lighting. Handheld and entry-way metal detectors are at some campuses.
0.68%
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*RISD ALSO FUNDS SCHOOL SECURITY COSTS THROUGH GRANT FUNDS AND COST SHARING AGREEMENTS WITH POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
SOURCE: RICHARDSON ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
SOURCE: RICHARDSON ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
students in sixth through 12th grade starting in the 2022-23 school year. The DISD website states that being new backpacks will allow campus personnel to better prevent prohib- ited items from entering schools. “We all have to work together to make sure our schools continue to remain safe,” DISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said. “We want to be proactive, not reactive.” Through the use of funds from the 2021 bond election and 2018 tax rati- cation election, RISD schools have received security upgrades, Assistant Superintendent Sandra Hayes said. For both districts, a strive toward improving overall security has led to implementing new security equip- ment and training ahead of the 2022- 23 school year. Along with a complete analysis of the eectiveness of their security programs, DISD and RISD
implemented in RISD are doors with double-buzz entry pads, keyless automatic locking doors with elec- tronic monitoring, handheld metal detectors and more. District ocials said bond funds have also been used to increase security camera footage both inside and outside of campuses. “[RISD] schools are well-equipped with safety and security in mind, with funding for updates and improvements provided each bond cycle,” Hayes said. Additional security improvements being implemented for the 2022-23 school year include improved exterior campus and parking lot lighting; addi- tional cameras; and more. DISD ocials said the district also uses bond funds to improve security equipment. Dallas residents approved a propo- sition during the 2020 bond that pro- vides $114.7 million toward safety and
McGough stated he believes RISD ocials should perform safety audits; establish early warning and red ag systems through anonymous reporting; monitor social media for warning signs; and move polling locations when school is in session. In June, the RISD board of trust- ees requested the Texas Legislature modify primary election days to pro- mote safety on campus. On the day of the mass shooting in Uvalde that left 19 students and two teachers dead, several RISD campuses were open to the public for the Dallas County primary runo election. “We ... know that during that time our buildings are vulnerable,” Bra- num said during the June 13 meeting. Adding to security Among the safety and secu- rity upgrades that have been
ocials said they are working to ensure safety across all campuses. “Creating a safe environment for teaching and learning has been RISD’s No. 1 priority since the Columbine
tragedy in 1999,” Hayes said. Calls for increasing measures
Dallas City Council Member Adam McGough has pushed RISD to improve its security. He represents the city’s District 10, which is located in RISD’s school boundaries. In a June 6 memo to Dallas City Man- ager T.C. Broadnax and RISD interim Superintendent Tabitha Branum, McGough recommended stronger security. “It is time for action,” McGough said in the memo. “We cannot accept the pain and fear that permeates our communities with the inltration of violence and evil in our schools.”
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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