Texas Administrative Code › Title 19 - EDUCATION › Part 2 - TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY › Chapter 61 - SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Subchapter CC - COMMISSIONER'S RULES CONCERNING SCHOOL FACILITIES › Section 61.1031 - School Safety Requirements

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a)
				  Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall
				  have the following meanings.
(1) Actively
				  monitored--supervised by an adult who can visibly review visitors prior to
				  entrance, who can take immediate action to close and/or lock the door, and
				  whose duties allow for sufficient attention to monitoring.
(2) Exterior secured area--an area fully
				  enclosed by a fence and/or wall that:
(A) if
				  enclosed by a fence or wall, utilizes a fence or wall at least 6 feet high with
				  design features that prevent it from being easily scalable, such as stone,
				  wrought iron, chain link with slats or wind screen, or chain link topped with
				  an anti-scaling device, or utilizes a fence or wall at least 8 feet
				  high;
(B) is well maintained;
				  and
(C) if gated, features locked
				  gates with emergency egress hardware and has features to prevent opening from
				  the exterior without a key or combination mechanism.
(3) Instructional facility--this term has the
				  meaning assigned in Texas Education Code (TEC), §46.001, and includes any
				  real property, an improvement to real property, or a necessary fixture of an
				  improvement to real property that is used predominantly for teaching curriculum
				  under TEC, §
											28.002. For purposes
				  of this section, an instructional facility does not include real property,
				  improvements to real property, or necessary fixtures of an improvement to real
				  property that are part of a federal, state, or private correctional facility or
				  facility of an institution of higher education, medical provider, or other
				  provider of professional or social services over which a school system has no
				  control.
(4) Modular, portable
				  building--
(A) an industrialized building as
				  defined by Texas Occupations Code (TOC), §1202.002 and
				  §1202.003;
(B) any relocatable
				  educational facility as defined by TOC, §1202.004, regardless of the
				  location of construction of the facility; or
(C) any other manufactured or site-built
				  building that is capable of being relocated and is used as a school
				  facility.
(5) Primary
				  entrance--
(A) the main entrance to an
				  instructional facility that is closest to or directly connected to the
				  reception area; or
(B) any exterior
				  door the school system intends to allow visitors to use to enter the facility
				  during school hours either through policy or practice.
(6) School system--a public independent
				  school district or public open-enrollment charter school.
(7) Secure vestibule--a secured space with
				  two or more sets of doors and an office sign-in area where all but the exterior
				  doors shall:
(A) remain closed, latched, and
				  locked;
(B) comply with subsection
				  (c)(3)(B) of this section; and
(C)
				  only open once the visitor has been visually verified.