The Mandatory TxSSC Safety & Security Audit —

Done Right, Done On Time

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Texas Education Code §37.108(b)–(c) and Senate Bill 11 require every school district, open-enrollment charter school, and public junior college to complete a safety and security audit of its facilities at least once every three years, following the procedures of the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) — performed by the district or by a person on the TxSSC registry. GSFT's staff are licensed, certified, TxSSC Registered Auditors.

 

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TxSSC Audit Requirements 

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AUDIT CYCLE — KEY DATES

The three-year safety and security audit is the mandate (TEC §37.108 / §37.207). On top of it, the 2026 TxSSC Model Audit adds an annual supplement reconciliation — each year, an in-progress audit must be reconciled against newly amended law so your district stays current between cycle years. In plain terms: school-safety compliance is now a year-round obligation, not a once-every-three-years event — and keeping an active audit aligned with the latest standards is exactly the gap our team manages for you.

The reporting itself has been overhauled, too. What used to be a simple fillable checklist is now a comprehensive, evidence-based District Audit Report — a far heavier lift that raises the bar for what a defensible submission looks like. This is exactly where a certified, TxSSC-registered audit team earns its keep.

Safety and security audits must be conducted during instructional periods, so on-site work happens while school is in session — not over the summer. Use the summer to schedule; lock in your audit for the new school year now.

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K–12 school districts — new 3-year cycle: 9/1/2026 – 8/31/2029.

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• Schools return this fall under the current HB 3 / SB 11 requirements. Schools return this fall under the current HB 3 / SB 11 requirements, so the new cycle is the time to confirm your program is compliant. Schedule your audit early in the cycle — ideally 2026–27. Here's why waiting hurts: on-site audits can only be conducted during instructional periods, so usable windows are limited, and districts that push their audit to the final cycle year (2028–29) risk scheduling bottlenecks and findings discovered too late to remediate before the report is due. Auditing early is the defensible play — and it spreads the cost across budget years.

• On-site work is completed during instructional periods across the cycle; the District Audit Report is submitted to TxSSC in the final cycle year (2029), per TxSSC's published reporting window.

• Closing the prior cycle: districts that completed their on-site audit in the 2023–2026 cycle must still submit their District Audit Report to TxSSC by September 15, 2026.

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Open-enrollment charter schools — cycle: 9/1/2025 – 8/31/2028.

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• Mid-cycle now. Schedule your on-site audit during an instructional period before 8/31/2028 — earlier is better to avoid the year-end rush.

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Public junior / community colleges — cycle: 9/1/2024 – 8/31/2027.

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• The TxSSC audit tool is emailed to the President/Chancellor and designee on April 15, 2027, with responses due to TxSSC by September 13, 2027.

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*All on-site audit work must occur during instructional periods — schedule over the summer so your audit is set for the new school year.

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WHAT THE AUDIT COVERS

Following current TxSSC audit procedures, our certified team reviews and documents your district's safety and security program, including:

• Your Multihazard Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) across all five phases — prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

• Facility access controls and physical security at the campus level.

• Emergency operations procedures and drill documentation.

• Program records and committee documentation needed for a clean, defensible audit and DAR submission.

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THE BIGGER MANDATE PICTURE — AND HOW WE KEEP YOU READY

Texas school safety law has tightened. Beyond the §37.108 audit, House Bill 3 (2023) and SB 11 added requirements your district must meet:

• An armed security officer — a Texas peace officer, School Guardian, or School Marshal — required at every campus during regular school hours (HB 3, 2023). GSFT's Guardian program trains and certifies the personnel districts use to meet this mandate.

• A separate TEA vulnerability assessment — conducted by the Texas Education Agency's Office of School Safety and Security on a random basis once every four years, with required corrective actions to address any deficiencies.

• Safe and Supportive School Program (threat assessment) teams (SB 11).

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A clean §37.108 audit is your foundation. We don't just check the box — we help you find and close gaps before a TEA vulnerability assessment lands, so corrective actions don't catch you off guard. That's the risk and liability mitigation our program is built around.

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WHY GSFT

Who conducts your audit. GSFT's team is led by Bryan Proctor II — TxSSC Registered Auditor, DPS-certified School Safety Certification instructor, and 20+ years in Texas law enforcement — and staffed by licensed, certified TxSSC Registered Auditors and consultants with law-enforcement and school-safety backgrounds. We complete your audit in full compliance with TEC §37.108 and current TxSSC procedures: calm, thorough, and administrator-friendly. We've earned the trust of districts across ESC Regions 3, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, and 19.

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Year-round, not just every three years. We don't stop at the three-year audit — GSFT keeps your district aligned with the 2026 Model Audit's annual supplement reconciliation and ready for a TEA vulnerability assessment, so compliance is handled continuously instead of scrambled for at a deadline.

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Your audit stays confidential. Under Texas Education Code §37.108(c-1), any document or information collected, assembled, or maintained for a district's safety and security audit is confidential and not subject to release under the Texas Public Information Act (Gov't Code Ch. 552). We secure every finding and report and share them only with your district's designated officials — typically the Superintendent and local law enforcement, who are also the only people notified of your on-site audit date.

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HOW TO SCHEDULE YOUR AUDIT

1. Request an estimate — complete the Audit Estimate Form below for a quote tailored to your district's size and campuses.

2. Accept the quote — acceptance instructions are included in the quote.

3. Issue a PO or payment — on written acceptance, provide an approved Purchase Order or check. You'll then receive a 60-day window in which your audit will occur; only the Superintendent and local law enforcement are notified of the exact date, per TxSSC, TEA, and auditing best practices.

4. On-site audit — our consultants and audit team conduct the on-site audit in compliance with current TxSSC guidance and regulations.

5. Report & submission — our certified staff compile the findings and complete the TxSSC-certified audit / District Audit Report for submission in compliance with TEC §37.108.

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Easy to procure — no separate RFP or bid required. GSFT is an approved/awarded vendor through TIPS, BuyBoard, and multiple ESC region cooperatives (Regions 3, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, and 19). Purchase your audit through the cooperative contract your district already uses. Don't see yours? Ask — we'll get authorized.

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Not sure which cycle you're in or whether you're behind? Tell us your district and we'll confirm your exact deadline — no obligation.