Strengthening School Safety
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, January 31, 2023— Window Film Depot, a nationwide leader in security window film installations designed to mitigate active shooter incidents, is launching initiatives to help Texas school systems meet the new safety standards set by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The state is implementing these new standards statewide in response to recent school shootings.
The over-arching goal is to increase security for students and faculty by reinforcing vulnerable entry points. These include ground-level window and door glass. The revised School Safety Standards specifically call for applying access denial window film to these vulnerable areas. This measure aims to delay entry into a building through broken glass.
To facilitate these changes, the TEA has allocated $400 million in grants for school districts, which will be available in February 2023. Specifically, this money is to “assist school districts in replacing or upgrading doors, windows, fencing, communications, and other safety measures.” Schools have until February 17, 2023, to apply.
With a looming deadline and many schools seeking to complete the grant application, Window Film Depot is taking action. The nation’s leader in 3M window safety and security window film is working with 3M and Texas local education agencies (LEAs). Together, they are expediting the procurement process for school administrators.
“Window Film Depot is a trusted resource for schools across the state as they focus on meeting these updated safety standards,” said Krissy Mosby, President of Window Film Depot. “There are many factors for school administrators to consider, and we aim to do our part to ensure that each school is both compliant with the new state-wide regulations and provided with the right solution for their particular building security needs.”
Supporting Texas Schools
Through educational webinars reviewing product and grant information, and, in certain cases, on-site assessments to help schools ascertain their exact needs and find the right security solutions, Window Film Depot will help school officials evaluate the types of security window film and other solutions available, such as DefenseLite® and BulletShield®, for more robust protection. Window Film Depot’s safety assessments meet the TEA standard requirements. Provided estimates are free to school systems and guaranteed to meet the state deadlines imposed for grant funding.
Window Film Depot has a national footprint, with an office conveniently located in Dallas-Fort Worth to help facilitate the new safety standards in Texas. As such, free assessments are available to schools across the entire state. Assistance is provided to all schools to best determine their security glazing needs. To identify vulnerable entry points, and develop accurate quotes based on site specific information.
“We encourage school officials and safety compliance professionals to use the resources we offer,” said Donnie McDaniel, Director of Government Sales at Window Film Depot. “These resources help them determine how to allocate their Texas School Safety Grant for maximum security.” “Our solutions meet Homeland Security, FEMA, and Department of Defense standards. We help each school identify its unique needs and make the upgrades that ensure the safety of students, faculty, and administrators.”
Available Tools and Resources
Window Film Depot has the following tools and resources for Texas school systems:
- Webinars reviewing product and grant information
- Compliance guidance for school administrators
- A user-friendly RFP template to expedite the estimating process
- Onsite and online threat-level assessments
- Professional installation services
Window Film Depot breaks down estimates by zone. Zone 1 includes doors and entryways, as required by state standards. Zone 2 covers perimeter windows, which schools can add and itemize at their discretion for maximum security. TIPS-USA contract pricing is available statewide.
School systems are to verify that the new requirements, including security film, are met with the 2023 school year. A contractor and a timeline must be in place no later than August 2023.
Schedule a 30-minute webinar to learn how Window Film Depot can assist in meeting School Safety Standards rule requirements.
About Window Film Depot
Headquartered in Marietta, GA, WFD has completed over 50,000 projects, providing architectural film solutions for customers ranging from the Vatican and the executive branch of the US government to numerous national retailers in all 50 states. Window Film Depot, a subsidiary of FutureVu Brands, is a three-time 3M “National Dealer of the Year Award” recipient, and the company has been named Window Film Magazine’s ‘Top Window Film Dealer’ on numerous occasions.
