AUSTIN – Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that John P. Scott will be the new chief of school safety at the Texas Education Agency.
Following the deadly mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Abbott asked TEA to create the position of Chief of School Security within the agency to serve as a recognized expert on security issues. school and public safety and resource for school districts and the legislature, according to the release. The leader will ensure that schools in Texas implement school safety policies enacted by the legislature and will take all possible steps to ensure that schools use best practices to protect against school shootings or incidents. other hazards.
“Protecting Texas children and making our schools safer for all are top priorities, and John Scott is uniquely qualified to help lead our efforts to keep them safe in Texas schools,” Abbott said. “Chief Scott’s extensive security and intelligence experience and his exemplary service to our nation make him an ideal candidate as the school’s new Chief Safety and Security Officer. I look forward to working with Chief Scott as we continue to strengthen our strong collaboration and communication among state agencies to provide a safe and secure environment for every student, parent, teacher, and faculty member of the Texas.
“I am honored to join the Texas Education Agency in this capacity,” said Scott. “I plan to work closely with partner agencies and school systems across the state to keep our students and staff safe.”
The Dallas native was an Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas/North Texas District US Secret Service, according to the statement. Previously, Scott served as Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the North Texas Cyber Fraud Task Force, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Intelligence Protection and Physical Protection Unit in Dallas, and Agent Special Assistant in charge of Secret Service Headquarters. / Protective Operations Division in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Scott served as a Special Agent in the Vice President’s Protective Division and the Dignitary Protective Division in Washington, D.C. and the Houston Field Office. Prior to joining the Secret Service, Scott was a field artillery officer and captain in the U.S. Army, where he attended rigorous airborne Ranger schools. Scott earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Texas Tech University, where he was named a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Scott will enhance all agency services by increasing communication and collaboration among professionals at the TEA, Texas School Safety Center, Department of Public Safety, Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, from the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium and the Advance Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, school districts and other entities, according to the release.
Abbott has taken significant steps to provide all available resources to support the community of Uvalde following the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School. These actions include the following:
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Launch of comprehensive plan for the state of Texas to help and support members of the community, including co-location of state agency representatives to the Family Assistance Center for immediate assistance in seeking benefits .
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Initial investment of $5 million to establish a long-term family resilience center in Uvalde County to serve as a hub for community services, including access to essential mental health resources.
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Work with the OneStar Foundation to create a one-stop donation webpage to support the families of the victims, teachers and the community of Uvalde.
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To provide a grant of more than $295,000 to the Uvalde County Juvenile Probation Department for services to help at-risk youth exhibiting emotional or behavioral problems in school.
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Issue a disaster declaration to expedite all state and local resources available to assist the community of Uvalde.
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Ask Texas legislative leaders to convene special legislative committees to begin reviewing and developing legislative recommendations on school safety, mental health, social media, police training, gun safety, and more.
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Directing the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) to immediately begin conducting comprehensive school safety reviews to ensure that all public schools in Texas are following proper procedures to maximize school safety.
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Lead the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to provide strategies to make Texas public schools safer through enhanced safety standards.
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Directing ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) programs to provide training to all school districts in the state, prioritizing school-based law enforcement.
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Lead TEA, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to expand and expedite the ability to report suspicious activity through the iWatchTexas reporting system.
Provide more than 30 law enforcement officers on UCISD campuses for the new academic year.
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