Texas school mapping law

Who has to provide school maps in Texas?

Each school district and open-enrollment charter school shall provide the Department of Public Safety (DPS), all appropriate local law enforcement agencies and emergency first responders an accurate map of each district campus and school building. It must also give them an opportunity to walk through each campus and building using that map. The map must also go to each emergency services district located wholly or partly within the school district or the area a charter school serves. Each district's multihazard emergency operations plan must include certification that the district complies with this map law, Section 37.117. Section 37.117 was added by HB 3, effective September 1, 2023, and amended by HB 121, effective September 1, 2025.

What must the maps and floor plans show?

The map must be developed and documented under the Section 37.351 standards for site and floor plans, access control and exterior door numbering. TEA issued its floor-plan rule, 19 TAC § 103.1215, under Section 37.117 and Section 37.351. Under that rule, a school system must develop and maintain an accurate site layout and door designation document for each instructional facility. It must identify all exterior and interior doors and show every exterior door on a floor plan with a letter-and-number label. The document must be oriented to show true north. Exterior doors are numbered clockwise, either across the whole campus or building by building. The primary entrance always comes first in the sequence and is the only door location that does not need a number. Door numbers must follow International Fire Code § 505, which requires numbers at least four inches tall. TEA's mapping vendor directory says the site layout and door designation document must be delivered to the district in electronic format. This is TEA guidance, not rule text.

Who receives the floor plans, and where are they kept?

Copies of the door numbering site plans must be readily available in each campus main office. Electronic copies must go to the local 9-1-1 administrative entity, DPS, emergency service districts, local law enforcement agencies and emergency first responders. Those agencies must be given an opportunity to walk through facilities using the site plans.

Who is covered?

The rule covers school systems, defined as public independent school districts and public open-enrollment charter schools. It applies to every instructional facility a school system owns, operates or leases, whatever its construction or lease date. Under TEA's facilities construction rule, capital improvement projects of districts and open-enrollment charters must carry out listed safety provisions campus-wide, including developing site plans and floor plans for the school facility.

When did the rule take effect, and what has to be certified?

19 TAC § 103.1215 took effect September 1, 2026. Beginning August 1, 2026, school systems must certify in Sentinel (TEA's reporting system) that security reviews have been conducted. School systems must certify compliance with the rule's facility and operating requirements, including the site layout and door designation document, every year as part of their safety and security audits. They keep the certification locally and provide documentation if TEA asks. Districts must conduct a safety and security audit of their facilities at least once every three years. A district must make sure each facility meets the safety and security facilities standards adopted under Section 7.061 or set by other law or agency rule.

Are school safety documents public records?

Any document or information relating to a safety or security requirement in the facilities standards subchapter (Subchapter J) is confidential and not subject to disclosure under the Public Information Act. Documents and information produced during a district safety and security audit are not subject to disclosure under the Public Information Act. By TEA rule, documents relating to the monitoring of school district safety and security requirements are confidential and not subject to disclosure.

How can schools pay for mapping?

School safety allotment money may be used to secure school facilities in line with Section 37.351, and allowed uses include exterior door numbering. The commissioner may let a district use school safety money, including the school safety allotment, to meet the facilities standards subchapter. A separate permission to use 2023 SB 30 safety appropriations for this purpose expired September 1, 2026. State law requires TEA, or the Texas School Safety Center if TEA designates it, to publish a directory of approved school safety technology vendors districts may choose from when spending the allotment. A district that buys from a vendor not in that directory with allotment money must get bids from at least three vendors first. TEA publishes an Emergency Response Campus Mapping vendor directory, listed on its School Safety Resources page as published June 20, 2025. Schools do not have to use a vendor on that list; TEA says it is for information only. TEA may enter a statewide vendor contract for a designated safety technology, but only after finding cost savings and getting Legislative Budget Board and governor approval.

Are there pending bills?

As of October 28, 2026, the latest session listed by the Texas Legislature is the 89th Legislature's 2nd called session (2025), so no bill can be pending, and Section 37.117 shows no amendment after HB 121.