Building Knowledge, Strengthening Safety: How Salado ISD Leveraged Training to Stay Ahead of Risk

School districts across Texas are facing shrinking budgets, while still tackling risk management challenges. From facilities and construction to everyday operational hazards, the demands that come with keeping students and staff safe have only grown.

Professional development gives employees the opportunity to learn ways to stay ahead of emerging risks, but quality, specialized training can be costly, especially for budget-strapped school districts.

 “In dollars and cents in school business, we know that we're always trying to stretch a dollar and that we're going to put our dollars towards kids first,” said Ted Smith, Salado ISD Chief Operating Officer

So, when Ted heard about the opportunity to receive high-quality safety training at no additional cost through the TASB Risk Management Fund Education Grant, he was eager to apply and take advantage of a valuable benefit of membership.

The Fund’s Education Grant was launched to support member training that might otherwise be out of reach. The program distributed approximately $100,000 among qualifying members.

Recognizing Risks and Gaining New Perspective

A culture of constantly improving to meet and exceed the needs of their students has already been established at Salado ISD. That’s why when their TASB Risk Solutions Consultant, Charles Hueter, reached out to Ted to schedule a no-cost safety walkthrough of the district’s facilities, Ted was quick to get it on the calendar.

As Charles pointed out hazards Ted hadn’t realized were safety issues, those walkthroughs led to broader conversations about learning opportunities, like the Education Grant. there are still aspects of the job that Ted would like more knowledge about, like basic electricity safety principles.

“I deal with electricity a lot, but didn’t know just how dangerous electricity is,” Ted said. “I didn’t know best practices for preventing myself or others from getting injured.”

Using the funds from the Education Grant, Ted signed up to learn those best practices and more at an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training focused on safety topics that directly impact school operations.

“Access to OSHA training is incredibly important because there are hazards all around us,” said Ted. “This training really helped me address the challenge of understanding safety in the construction site and the workplace when it comes to electricity.”

Like many districts in Texas, Salado ISD employees have had a difficult time justifying professional development for staff while managing significant budget shortfalls. “When we opened the school year, we opened in a $1.2 million deficit budget,” Ted said. “It wasn't as if I could just say, ‘Well, I'm going to explore OSHA training,’ because we're trying to cut $1.2 million from a budget to have a balanced budget.”

The grant made it possible to receive training without taking resources away from students.

“The grant supplemented the work we do for students, which was a great resource,” Ted said.

From Learning to Action

After completing the training, Ted felt more confident in his ability to respond to safety concerns and make informed decisions, including when to bring in a licensed electrician.

For Salado ISD, investing in training has helped build confidence, reduce uncertainty, and strengthen safety practices, ensuring the district is better prepared to protect the students and staff it serves.

"By making everyone safer, you'll reduce some of your workers' comp claims, and you'll have happier, healthier employees,” Ted said.