Is Your District Ready for TEA’s Required Safety Audit?
School safety and security is more than just a priority—it’s a mandate. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires all public school districts to conduct a comprehensive safety audit every three years to ensure compliance with state regulations and best practices. Failure to meet these standards can result in penalties, funding loss, and increased security risks for students and staff.
Yet, many districts struggle with limited resources, lack of in-house expertise, and the challenge of identifying security gaps before an audit. This guide will walk you through the TEA safety audit process, highlight common compliance challenges, and provide a roadmap for how Navigate360 can help ensure your district is fully prepared.
Understanding TEA’s School Safety Audit Requirements
TEA safety audits are designed to assess how well districts are protecting students, staff, and school facilities, ensuring compliance with Texas school safety standards. These audits include:
- Physical Security Assessments – Evaluating campus safety infrastructure, such as entry points, surveillance systems, and emergency exits.
- Emergency Preparedness – Ensuring staff, students, and first responders are trained and ready to handle crises.
- Compliance with House Bill 3 (HB3) – Meeting state-mandated school safety requirements around robust active-shooter protocols and other critical standards.
- Collaboration with Law Enforcement – Strengthening coordination between school safety teams and local police.
- Corrective Action Plans – Identifying vulnerabilities and implementing solutions before TEA auditors arrive.
With thousands of Texas schools required to undergo audits annually, districts must act proactively to ensure compliance and strengthen school safety in Texas measures.
The Biggest Challenges Districts Face
Many school leaders face significant hurdles when preparing for TEA audits. The most common challenges include:
Keeping Up with Changing Regulations – TEA safety requirements evolve, making it difficult to ensure ongoing compliance.
Limited Time & Resources – Many districts lack the in-house staff and expertise needed to conduct thorough security assessments.
Identifying Security Gaps – Schools often have blind spots in their safety infrastructure, putting students and staff at risk.
Interagency Coordination – Effective collaboration between school safety teams, law enforcement, and emergency responders is critical but often overlooked.
Real Consequences of Non-Compliance – Failure to meet TEA standards can result in corrective action plans, additional state oversight, and funding restrictions that impact student resources. Districts that wait too long may face delays in corrective actions and risk being unprepared for an audit.
If your district is experiencing any of these challenges, it’s time to seek expert guidance to streamline your audit preparation and compliance process.
How Navigate360 Helps Texas Districts Achieve TEA Compliance
Navigate360 provides expert-led school safety audits designed to help Texas districts meet TEA requirements with confidence, reinforcing school safety in Texas at every level.
Our certified safety professionals conduct in-depth assessments, deliver actionable recommendations, and ensure full compliance with state mandates. With Navigate360, your district gains:
✔ Expert-Led Assessments – Conduct comprehensive evaluations aligned with TEA standards led by our certified school safety professionals.
✔ Custom Action Plans – Receive step-by-step recommendations to address vulnerabilities and strengthen your safety strategy.
✔ Collaboration with Law Enforcement – Enhance communication and coordination with first responders via real-time video and audio streams, 2-way radio, camera, and access control integrations, and more.
✔ Compliance Assurance – Ensure your district meets the requirements of HB3 and is aligned with the best practices outlined by the Texas School Safety Center.
✔ Technology-Driven Insights – Utilize data-backed recommendations to ensure proactive security measures.
✔ Integrated Emergency Management – Leverage the Assess feature in Navigate360’s Emergency Management software to store and analyze audit data, ensuring a seamless transition from assessment to action. Simplify EOP management, drill coordination, and emergency response—all within a single, unified platform.
Why Choose Navigate360 Over Other Providers?
Unlike regional service centers or local auditors, Navigate360 offers the most comprehensive, expert-led approach to TEA compliance and long-term school safety. Our certified professionals bring decades of emergency management and crisis response experience, ensuring districts receive data-driven audits and proactive safety improvements that go beyond mandates.
✔ Texas School Safety Expertise – Our team includes:
- Certified School Safety Professionals (CSSP)
- NIMS & CPTED Certified Experts
- Active Shooter Response Instructors
- Emergency Management & Crisis Response Experts
- Texas School Safety & Security Consultant Registry Members
✔ All-in-One Safety Platform – Navigate360 provides every tool Texas districts need, from safety audits and compliance tracking to EOPs, drill management, and crisis response—all in one integrated system.
✔ Eliminate Complexity – No more juggling multiple vendors. Navigate360 streamlines school safety, ensuring compliance and readiness with a single, trusted partner.
With Navigate360, Texas districts gain more than compliance—they gain confidence, continuity, and a safer future.
Proven Results from our Customers
Districts and companies that partner with Navigate360 don’t just meet mandates—they build safer, stronger communities.
“Of all the school safety technology out there, Navigate360’s products are among the best of the best. From the way they prepare us for emergency situations to the assurance they deliver in relation to crisis response, they are simply invaluable.” —Edward Vittardi, St. Albert the Great School (Diocese of Cleveland)
“After several years of significant growth and some security-related near misses, we realized that our physical and electronic security systems were not as robust as they should be to ensure the safest workplace possible for our employees. [Navigate360] came on-site for 3 days, performing a very comprehensive risk assessment. Using the final report, learnings and recommendations, the security improvements we have implemented have been a big part of transforming our overall security culture.” —Craig Martin, Director of EHS, Sustainability and Security | Glanbia Performance Nutrition
“That’s the best thing about Navigate360—they’re always innovating. And with their software, I can make sure the Tipton County School District is constantly doing everything in our power to uphold our mission of providing safety as the foundation to a successful learning environment.” —Glenn Turner, Tipton County School District
Act Now: TEA Audit Deadlines Are Approaching
Don’t wait until an audit is looming—proactive planning is the key to ensuring compliance and protecting students and staff. Many districts have already secured their TEA-aligned safety audits, and limited slots remain.
By taking action now, you can avoid penalties, protect your district’s funding, and strengthen campus security. Let Navigate360 be your trusted partner in achieving TEA compliance with confidence.
Book your safety audit now and ensure your district is fully prepared.
