Spring ISD has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first school district in Texas to receive the highest-level Active Shooter Preparedness Certification from Region 4 Education Service Center. The recognition comes after more than a year of intensive planning, training, and collaboration with multiple emergency response agencies, underscoring the district’s commitment to protecting its 33,000 students and 5,000 staff members.

The award is the first of its kind offered by any Education Service Center in the state. Region 4’s program evaluates a district’s readiness across 21 rigorous safety standards, from technology upgrades and detailed campus mapping to conducting full-scale active threat exercises involving law enforcement, fire departments, and EMS.

District leaders say the achievement is rooted in the direction set by the Spring ISD Board of Trustees, whose push for the highest safety standards sparked the year-long certification process. During Tuesday night’s regular board meeting, trustees were recognized for two years of service on the Region 4 Safety and Security Committee. President Justine Durant and trustees Rhonda Newhouse, Kelly P. Hodges and Winford Adams Jr. received gold medals, while the other board members were presented with Region 4 challenge coins in appreciation of their efforts to enhance safety across Spring ISD schools.

“This achievement reflects a significant investment of time and effort. We are honored to be the first district to receive this recognition and take great pride in the outstanding contributions of our police department.” Board President Justine Durant said Tuesday night during a presentation at the Spring ISD regular board meeting.

Spring ISD Police Chief Matthew Rodrigue said the certification reflects a coordinated effort that reached far beyond his department.

“This was not a quick effort. It took us over a year to complete, and it required the involvement of every part of the district,” Rodrigue said. “One of the biggest reasons we were able to make this happen was the support of our Board of Trustees. They challenged us and empowered us to make this district as safe as possible.”

One of the most significant components was a districtwide, full-scale active shooter exercise in October 2024. The exercise paired Spring ISD Police with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Spring Fire Department, and other local agencies in a realistic, four-and-a-half-hour scenario that tested coordination, communication, and response time. It also served as the capstone requirement for the certification.

According to Region 4’s Director of the Office of Emergency Management and School Safety, Kenneth Culbreath, the certification is designed to go well beyond compliance. 

“If I were a parent in this district, it would mean my child is walking into a school system that has gone above and beyond state safety standards,” Culbreath said. “This is not box-checking, it is real work, with a lot of engagement from stakeholders.”

According to Chief Rodrigue, Spring ISD has a track record of adopting safety measures ahead of state mandates, including the installation of silent panic button technology three years before it became a legislative requirement. The certification process also strengthened existing protocols, such as updated emergency maps for every campus shared with all local first responders and enhanced radio communications.

Rodrigue also emphasized that the work does not stop with this achievement. The district will conduct another full-scale active threat drill in October 2025, continuing to refine its procedures and deepen its partnerships with local emergency agencies. 

“The more safe and secure the environment is, the better our students will learn, and that is why we do this work,” Rodrigue said.