Written By: Brad Campbell | October 25, 2024
In the face of tragic active threat incidents at schools across the United States in recent years, states have begun to implement glass hardening mandates for schools. These mandates require schools to reinforce their window and door glass to better protect students and staff against security threats.
While only a couple of states have put school glass hardening mandates in place so far, this trend reflects a growing awareness of how different types of security glazing products can harden schools’ security and improve the safety of students and staff in American educational institutions.
As of August 2023, Texas has mandated that all K-12 schools install security window film on glass doors and windows. This requirement, a significant step towards boosting safety and security in schools, is part of the state’s wider response to the tragic Uvalde shooting, which occurred in 2022 and brought major school security measures to light.
The Texas school glass hardening mandate, put into place by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), specifies that all ground-level glass doors and windows large enough to allow entry if broken must be reinforced with forced entry-resistant security window film (unless they’re located in a secure, non-accessible area).
To help schools and districts comply with the new regulations, the state of Texas has allocated $400 million to school security grant funds. These funds are available to support schools in upgrading their window and door security, as well as implementing other safety and security measures.
Following the glass hardening mandate for Texas schools, new legislation in the state of Tennessee mandates the installation of forced entry-resistant safety and security window film on all exterior windows and doors in school buildings constructed or remodeled after July 1, 2023.
The law, signed into effect on May 10, 2023, is part of a larger $230 million initiative to enhance school safety across the state. The budget also includes funding for school resource officers and Homeland Security agents in every county. This move follows the tragic 2023 shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville.
While Texas and Tennessee are leading the charge when it comes to mandating glass hardening in schools, other states are also exploring similar security enhancements.
The increasing frequency of active threat incidents in schools has prompted other states, like Missouri, to consider legislation requiring bullet-resistant doors and glazing for all ground-floor entryways and windows in schools.
This trend suggests that more states may soon follow suit, perhaps one day even making security glazing a standard requirement in schools nationwide.
One of the primary challenges in implementing glass hardening mandates in schools is the cost. School districts have notoriously tight budgets, and currently only a small percentage of schools have security glazing materials in place due to budget constraints.
However, the availability of state funding, as seen in Texas, has the potential to help mitigate these financial barriers and ensure that more schools can meet the new safety and security standards.
An additional consideration is the effectiveness of the required security glazing. While mandating security window film in schools is a positive step towards hardening their security, it’s important to understand that this type of film can only delay forced entry, rather than prevent it altogether.
For higher levels of access denial and active threat mitigation, schools should set their sights on forced entry-resistant or ballistic-grade security glazing, which can be retrofitted over their existing doors and windows to create virtually unbreakable barriers to forced entry.
As active threats continue to pose a significant threat to schools, states are increasingly looking at school glass hardening mandates as a way to protect students and staff during such incidents. Texas and Tennessee have already implemented such measures, and other states may soon follow.
These new regulations highlight the importance of adopting proactive security measures in schools, and they signal a shift toward more robust protection strategies in the face of modern threats.
While cost remains a challenge for many school districts, the availability of state funding in the form of grants can potentially help schools harden their glass security.
With the growing awareness of issues related to school safety and security, these types of mandates are likely going to become a more integral part of the broader, ongoing effort to secure educational institutions across the country.
Riot Glass is dedicated to helping schools harden their windows and doors to mitigate active threats and protect the lives of students, faculty, and visitors. Contact us today for more information about our school security glazing options.
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