From Texastribune · · 1m 10s
Texas school police referrals surge
Texas school police referrals for kids 10-13 up 30% since 2014.
In brief
Texas school police referrals for kids 10-13 up 30% since 2014. Texas school police referrals for children aged 10-13 increased by 30% since 2014, with 4,800 referrals in 2024-25 alone. Originally reported by Texastribune.
Texas school police referrals
Texas school districts increased police officers in classrooms over the past decade to address misbehavior.
Referrals for kids 10-13
Children ages 10 to 13 were referred for prosecution 47,000 times since 2014, with 4,800 referrals in 2024-25.
Minor offenses
Most students accused of threats, cannabis vapes, or lashing out at classmates or teachers.
El Paso incident
A 10-year-old kicked an assistant principal after his cellphone was taken away.
Family impact
The boy's mother faced thousands in legal bills and his grades dropped due to anxiety.
School district response
Schools claim they are committed to safe and inclusive learning environments.
“committed to maintaining safe and inclusive learning environments for all students”
Juvenile judge opinion
A judge says many cases could have been handled by school principals.
School-to-prison pipeline
Referrals linked to future law enforcement contact and academic harm.
Statewide impact
Referrals for young children grew faster than student population, reversing progress on school-to-prison pipeline.
The one thing
Texas school police referrals for children aged 10-13 increased by 30% since 2014, with 4,800 referrals in 2024-25 alone.
