3 steps to Enhancing School Safety and Campus Security — Affordably

Step 1: Consider Building Vulnerabilities via a Facility Risk Assessment.

For example, the Federal Commission on School Safety cites glass windows and doors as the most vulnerable points of a school building. Non-reinforced materials such as glass allow a shooter to breach the building through broken glass easily.

Is installing bullet-proof glass or bars over windows the best solution? Perhaps not.

Bullet-proof glass is expensive and difficult to retrofit into existing frames. Security bars make the building look more like a prison than a learning facility.

How Breach-Resistant Windows Keep Students Safer

Your best solution for hardening your school’s security at the most vulnerable access points is 3M™ Safety & Security Window Films from Epic Solar Control. These films add a crucial layer of protection by making the window harder to penetrate and holding glass fragments together after the impact from a bullet, a blunt object such as a bat or hammer, or debris from a natural disaster.

The 3M™ Safety & Security Window Film is applied to the inside of the window and then augmented by 3M Impact Protection Adhesive.The adhesive is applied around the frame in a 3/8″ to ½” bead to bond the glass, window film, and frame together. It significantly improves protection against intruders, severe weather damage, or bomb blasts.

3M™ Safety & Security Window Films will not stop a bullet- no window film does. But it makes forced entry more difficult by reinforcing the glass and making it more difficult to breach. This extra time is critical as it allows students and faculty more time to get to safety and more time for first responders.

This video shows how the 3M™ Ultra 800 Safety & Security Window Films with Attachment System increases breach resistance and protects against forced entry.

Step 2: Grants & Purchasing Coops Make Bullet Resistant Films Affordable for Schools

Because the 3M™ Safety & Security Window Films are a highly effective school security solution, they qualify for grant funding. In fact, it is recommended by the Federal Commission on School Safety to help secure a school’s vulnerable access points.

2019- 2021 Texas School Safety & Security Grant

Senate Bill 500 (SB500) appropriated $100,000,000 to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to fund public schools for security enhancements, including bullet-resistant glass or film for school entrances.

The TEA has extended the grant timeline. The new end grant date is June 15, 2023, so you still have time to contact Epic Solar Solar Control for your facility assessment and apply. Current grantees with an open grant can continue to draw down funds and amend their grant applications. See the TEA Grant Opportunities webpage for additional information and resources. Search “2019-2021 School Safety and Security Grant” in the Keyword(s) in the Application Name section to find the associated grant documentation.

These are the TEA’s tentative dates and a revised timeline for this grant program: