During a recent meeting, Keller Independent School District (KISD) officials highlighted significant concerns regarding the funding for school safety measures. Representing the district, board secretary Joni Shaw Smith and trustee Heather Washington emphasized KISD's commitment to ensuring the safety of its approximately 34,000 students across 41 campuses.

The officials pointed out that the current state funding for school safety is inadequate, particularly in light of new requirements mandating armed security at every campus. They criticized the state's increase in the school safety allotment, which amounts to only 28 cents per student and $15,000 per campus, describing it as insufficient to cover the actual costs.

KISD currently spends approximately $3.8 million on armed security officers, while receiving only about $624,000 from the state, resulting in a staggering shortfall of $3.2 million. This financial gap is characterized as an unfunded mandate, placing additional strain on the district as it navigates rising inflation and historic underfunding.

The officials noted that despite the state reporting a surplus of $32.7 billion, there has been no substantial action taken to address these funding challenges. They urged the legislature and the governor to leverage this surplus to better support public school safety initiatives, emphasizing the need for adequate resources to fulfill their commitment to student and educator safety.