TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida School Boards Association says the top two recommendations on school safety are updated crisis management plans and armed resource officers for every school.
A cop in every school will cost a minimum of $62,000 per school. With 4,200 schools in Florida, this will cost roughly $263 million.
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However, if you subtract the $64 million already allocated for safe schools, the deficit is still about $200 million.
These recommendations were first made in 1999 by a Select Committee on School Safety and being pushed again.
Wayne Blanton of the Florida School Boards Association said parents are demanding action.
"I think we have to respond and make sure our parents are very secured that the schools are safer for their children," said Blanton.
Chris Haley has spent 25 years as a cop, working in and around schools at every level. He said the money would be well spent.
"When you have already someone assigned to the school, you have somebody that knows everybody, that knows the issues, that knows the ins and outs of what's going on," said Haley.
Teachers also speaking out are telling administrators they want to be able to lock their classroom door from the inside.
Haley and a resource officer confiscated a handgun from a student at a high school two weeks ago.
"We really didn't have to worry that much," said Brielle Crooms. "We were in safe hands."
When asked if having a deputy on campus made that happen, Brielle responded, "Yes, it really did."
Florida School Boards said they also want funding for updating crisis plans at all 4,200 schools in the state. Legislation has also been filed to increase the number of guidance counselors with hopes of detecting trouble before it erupts.