The Clock Is Ticking: Schools Only Have a Few Months to Comply With Alyssa's Law in Texas

The countdown is on for Texas schools to meet the requirements of Alyssa’s Law, a crucial mandate designed to enhance school safety through the implementation of panic buttons. With the deadline fast approaching for the 2025/2026 school year, districts must act now to ensure full compliance. Delaying could result in rushed implementations, compliance issues and, most importantly, gaps in the safety of students and staff.

What Texas Schools Need to Know About Alyssa’s Law

Alyssa’s Law, named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, a student who tragically lost her life in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, is a vital school safety initiative established by her parents to prevent similar tragedies from affecting other families. This law requires all public and charter schools to implement silent panic alarm systems that will directly alert law enforcement during emergencies. The primary objective is to reduce response times and enhance the likelihood of saving lives by ensuring that first responders receive critical information promptly as a crisis unfolds. It is important to recognize that interpretations of Alyssa’s Law can vary, making it essential to understand the specific requirements within your state.

In Texas, Alyssa’s Law mandates that every public, private or charter classroom must have silent panic alert technology. These panic buttons must enable immediate communication with school or district emergency services, as well as with emergency service agencies, law enforcement agencies, health departments and fire departments. Schools may utilize funds acquired from their annual safety allotment to cover the costs of acquiring and installing panic buttons.

Why Schools Need to Act Now

While the deadline for Alyssa’s Law compliance may seem far off, the reality is that deployment takes time. Schools need to consider that the timeframe for implementation and deployment can vary significantly depending on the vendor they choose, the infrastructure requirements for that vendor’s solutions and unforeseen factors such as administrative approvals, staff time off and staff training. Waiting until the last minute puts schools at risk of missing the deadline and failing to comply with state-mandated safety regulations.

911Cellular: Your Trusted, Proven Partner for Compliance with Alyssa’s Law in Texas

At 911Cellular, we specialize in panic button solutions that meet and exceed the requirements of Alyssa’s Law in Texas. Our NIST-tested, WiFi-compatible panic button systems eliminate the need for additional beacons or costly hardware and provide districts with a full-service security solution that connects with both internal and external safety forces, giving administrators peace of mind that their schools are protected. Implementation of our products typically only takes 8 to 12 weeks, with ongoing support for the lifetime of your product.

911Cellular Solutions for Texas Schools:

• BadgeR+ Wearable Panic Button: This device features three customizable activation methods and provides haptic feedback to inform users that they have successfully triggered a panic alert. The BadgeR+ uses existing WiFi access points to accurately locate a user when they activate an emergency signal.
• Mobile Safety Apps: With the feature-packed mobile safety apps, your team is empowered to proactively and reactively report critical incidents from anywhere on the school grounds.
• Keyboard Panic Buttons: A software solution that allows your team to signal for help with a simple double-click of their mouse or stroke of their keyboard. Leverage your computers’ cameras and microphones to stream incidents directly to dispatchers and enable two-way communication between the user and dispatch.
• Wallmounted Panic Buttons: A great stationary solution, like a fire alarm, that allows anyone in the area to alert emergency responders.
• Emergency Notification System: Housed within the same portal that manages duress signals, this software allows you to seamlessly and automatically notify key personnel of critical incidents immediately following the activation of a panic button.

With 911Cellular, your school can implement a trusted, proven and fully compliant emergency communication system before the deadline. We’ve already partnered with nearly 50 independent school districts, public schools and private educational institutions across Texas, including Harmony Public Schools, Texas Christian University (TCU), KIPP Texas Public Schools and Laredo ISD. We hope we get to partner with you next.

Don’t Delay

Don’t wait until it’s too late—contact us today to schedule a demo and get started on your implementation plan. Together, we can ensure your school is ready for the 2025/2026 school year.