John Scott joins Texas Education Agency as school safety chief
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John P. Scott has been named the first Chief of School Safety and Security within the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Scott will work to ensure Texas schools are implementing the school safety policies passed by the legislature and take every action possible to ensure schools are using best practices to safeguard against school shootings or other dangers.
Following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed TEA to create the position of Chief of School Safety and Security within the agency to serve as a recognized expert on school security and public safety issues and a resource to school districts and the legislature.
Scott will report directly to TEA Commissioner Mike Morath and will have a direct line to the Office of the Governor to ensure increased communication and collaboration among state agencies to provide a safe environment for Texas students and school faculty. As the single point of contact to coordinate school safety and security efforts across Texas, Chief Scott will enhance all agency services by increasing communication and collaboration among the professionals at TEA, the Texas School Safety Center, the Department of Public Safety, the Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium, and the Advance Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, school districts, and other entities.
"I am honored to join the Texas Education Agency in this capacity," said Chief of School Safety and Security Scott. "I plan to work closely with partner agencies and school systems across the state to keep our students and staff safe."
Scott has held many security and law enforcement roles throughout his career, including Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the United States Secret Service Dallas/North Texas District. Previously, Scott has served as Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge for the North Texas Cyber Fraud Task Force, Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge for the Protective Intelligence & Physical Protection Unit in Dallas, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the Secret Service Headquarters/Protective Operations Division in Washington, D.C.
Additionally, Scott served as Special Agent in the Vice Presidential Protective Division and Dignitary Protective Division in Washington, D.C. and in the Houston Field Office. Before joining the Secret Service, Scott was a U.S. Army Field Artillery Officer and Captain where he completed Airborne and the rigorous Ranger schools.
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