Case Study: Round Rock ISD (Texas) - Security Window Film Rollout

Round Rock Independent School District turned a grant-backed safety requirement into a district-wide window hardening project. In 2024, trustees approved $908,642.56 to buy and install forced-entry resistant window film at several campuses, and the district said that by June 2025 all schools would have exterior safety film installed. This case study shows how Round Rock used funding, phased scheduling, and a targeted scope to make the project workable at scale.

Project Overview: Round Rock ISD, Texas

District context: Round Rock ISD serves the north Austin area and operates a large, complex campus network.

Scope: Forced-entry resistant window film at several campuses, with the district later stating that all schools would have exterior safety film.

Cost: Trustees approved $908,642.56 for purchase and installation.

Timeline: The board approved the project in August 2024 and the district said the rollout would be complete by June 2025.

Why it matters: This is a clear example of a district using grant support and a phased rollout to turn a large safety requirement into a manageable project.

Why Round Rock Chose a District-Wide Rollout

Round Rock's project shows what happens when a district treats security film like a planned capital program instead of a one-off fix. Once funding was available, the district could target the windows that met Texas security criteria and expand the scope across campuses over time.

• Funding: Grant dollars made the project possible without relying entirely on operating funds.
• Compliance: The work aligned with Texas requirements for ground-level windows near exterior doors.
• Scale: Film could be rolled out across multiple campuses without major reconstruction.
• Speed: A phased rollout still beats window replacement on disruption and schedule.

What the Project Covered

The district focused on the openings that matter most for forced entry: the exterior windows that are easiest to reach and the fastest to exploit. That targeted approach is the right way to spend security dollars because it concentrates protection where the risk is highest.

Round Rock's own update described the film as a way to make it harder for an intruder to access schools and to give police or campus staff more time to respond and lock down if needed. That is exactly the role security film should play.

Why It Matters

Round Rock demonstrates three things districts care about most: cost, timing, and defensibility. The project was large, but it still compares favorably with replacing every vulnerable window with a higher-cost glazing system. Just as important, the district framed the work as a security measure that could be installed without turning schools into construction sites.

That is the appeal of film. It buys time, fits into a phased schedule, and can be rolled out without a full building rebuild.

Lessons for Other Texas Districts

• Use grant support while it is available.
• Prioritize exterior glass near entrances first.
• Measure success in seconds of delay and response time.
• Keep the scope focused on the most vulnerable openings.

Key Takeaways

• RRISD approved $908,642.56 for forced-entry resistant window film.
• The project covered several campuses across the district.
• By June 2025, the district said all schools would have exterior safety film installed.
• The project used funding and compliance deadlines to make a district-wide rollout practical.

Related Resources

• Real Schools: Security Window Film Case Studies
• Are Security Window Films Required in Schools? 2026 State-by-State Guide
• Navigating 2026 School Safety Grants for Security Window Film
• Campus Security: Strengthening School Glass with Window Film

Source Attribution

Source attribution: Based on Community Impact reporting and Round Rock ISD's safety update.

Sources

1. Community Impact - Round Rock ISD to use grant funding for safety film on windows
2. Round Rock ISD - Safety and Security Fall 2024 Focus

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