Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) is proud to announce that its Police Department received the inaugural Dr. Rod Paige School Safety Award, first presented in October at the School Safety Expo.

Awarded by Region 4 Education Service Center's Office of Emergency Management and School Safety, the recognition highlights the district's commitment to student and staff safety. SBISD was honored to receive the award from Region IV Emergency Management and School Safety Solutions during a recent Board meeting.

“We are incredibly proud of Chief Larry Baimbridge and the SBISD Police team for their hard work and dedication to ensuring the safety of our students and staff,” said SBISD Superintendent Jennifer Blaine. "This recognition reflects their commitment to making SBISD a safe place for everyone."

In addition to this recognition, SBISD is excited to announce that it has now filled all police officer vacancies, fully complying with the state mandate requiring a police officer at each campus. This is an important milestone, and we’re proud to see law enforcement professionals choosing SBISD as their long-term career destination.

“We’re proud to have fully staffed our police department and ensured the safety of our students, but we need the state to fully fund these mandates moving forward,” said Superintendent Blaine. “Safety is a top priority for us. Our hope is that legislators will provide the necessary financial support to make these efforts sustainable year after year.”

Texas law requires that all public schools to have an armed officer present during regular school hours. The state allocates $15,000 per campus and $10 per student to assist in covering the costs of this mandate. However, the actual cost of employing qualified armed security personnel can be up to $85,000 per year, leaving districts with a significant shortfall. In response, lawmakers are considering increasing the per-student funding to $20 and raising the per-campus allotment to $30,000 to better meet these expenses.

While SBISD has stepped up to ensure the safety of its schools, the district has had to allocate approximately $2 million from its general fund to cover the full cost of complying with the state mandate. This highlights the urgent need for the state to provide more comprehensive funding for these essential safety measures.

Visit the SBISD Police Department website to learn more.