LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Here at home the Texas tragedy is still hitting all of us and has many asking the question, "is my child safe at school?"
The state works with the University of Arkansas System's Criminal Justice Institute to provide practices and protocols for school safety.
For Criminal Justice Institute Director, Dr. Cheryl May, she says, it's all about prevention and reaction.
"It's an extremely traumatic event that we have to avoid at all costs," she said.
Dr. May said that prevention and reaction is something that the state of Arkansas has been working on for many years.
"It's really important that parents understand that we've been very progressive in trying to make our schools as safe as they possibly can be," she said.
As the Director of the Criminal Justice Institute, Dr. May also oversees the Arkansas Center for School Safety.
Which is a partnership the Institute has with the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to help train state educators and law enforcement.
"Our classes here at the center, are primarily focused for not just law enforcement, but also the educational staff because they are so critically important in school safety," she said.
Those classes include everything from active shooter training to youth mental health first aid.
Dr. May is also a part of a school safety commission that came up with a series of 30 recommendations for schools to follow.
"There is a definite focus on school safety by everybody involved in this initiative," she said.
Back in 2015, Arkansas lawmakers passed the School Safety Act. One of the lead sponsors of this bill, Rep. Bruce Cozart said, they continue to work with the University of Arkansas' Criminal Justice Institute to keep this bill updated regularly.
They passed some updates in this past legislative session, but Cozart said the work isn't done yet.
"The more we can do, it will always be better, and we'll need to do more and more and more, every time we think about it," he said.
As a grandfather and a former school board member, safety has always been something Cozart has pushed for at the Capitol.
"I've been telling them for years on our Facilities Committee, more safety, more safety, buildings have to be safe," he said.
Cozart recognizes that part of that safety, means funding, which is why he believes lawmakers could be back at the Capitol in a matter of months discussing this topic.
"It is about community. It's not about politics. It's about keeping our community safe," he said.
One of the classes the Criminal Justice Institute teaches, is "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design," which Dr. May said explains the safest way for things to be physically in and outside of the building.