MIDLAND, Texas — In the wake of the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas is stepping up its efforts to make schools safer, but also to provide them with more mental health resources.
The state will be allocating more than $100 million overall toward Texas schools.
School districts like Midland ISD do not know exactly how much funding they will receive from the state just yet, but MISD is already preparing to make sure that its students' mental health needs are taken care of.
"I think whenever you allocate resources to induce a safer environment for our kids, for staff and for our community, it is not only a blessing, but it is a feather in our cap," Charlie Garcia, MISD's associate superintendent said.
MISD also plans to use funding that was just approved by the school board to to focus on mental health needs.
"Our improving the budget, our board of trustees, definitely send a message that we believe in mental health, social and emotional learning of our kids," Garcia said. "If our kid is not healthy enough to come to school and be willing to learn, it’s very, very trying for our educators."
The district also has a plan to make sure that if any student has an issue, the district will have people able to address that student's need individually.
"By adding additional crisis counselors, now we can really ensure that we’re addressing the needs of customized students, customized schools that are needed at the right time at the right place," Garcia said.