Standard Response Protocol (SRP)
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The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is a clear, action-based system that helps students, staff, and first responders stay safe during emergencies. Our district adopted SRP as part of a broader effort to ensure that everyone in our schools knows exactly what to do in critical situations, from severe weather to potential threats on campus.
The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is an emergency response plan that outlines five specific actions schools can take during a crisis situation: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. These actions are designed to provide a consistent, structured response that all students and staff can follow, helping schools respond quickly and appropriately while keeping safety at the center of every decision. When an incident requires students to be moved from the school or prevents a normal dismissal, the SRP works in coordination with the Standard Reunification Method (SRM), which ensures students are safely and securely reunited with their families.
Hold
There are situations that require students and staff to remain in their classrooms or stay out of access areas. During a Hold, students who are not in a classroom will need to proceed to an area where they can be supervised and remain safe.
During a Hold, classroom activities will continue while the incident is addressed.
- Hold in your room or area. Clear the halls.
- When something is going on in the hallway, hold your room or area until it is resolved.
- Action
- Responsibility
- Preparation
Secure
The secure action is called when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school; can be due to violence or criminal activity in the immediate neighborhood, or a dangerous animal.
The initial directive and practice during the secure action is to retain students and staff within the building and prevent entry.
- Get inside. Lock the outside doors.
- When a threat is outside of the building, it’s used to safeguard the occupants of the building.
- No in or out
- Controlled release
- Monitored entry
Lockdown
From parental custody disputes to intruders to an active assailant, Lockdown uses classroom and school security actions to protect students and staff from the threat. The goal is to make rooms look unoccupied by locking doors, moving occupants out of the line of sight of windows, turning off lights and maintaining silence.
- Lock, Lights, Out of sight
- When a threat is inside of the building, it’s used to secure individual rooms and keep occupants quiet and in place.
Evacuate
This action is called when there is a need to move people from one location to another for safety reasons. An on-site evacuation can be called when a mechanical failure disrupts the school day. If the issue cannot be resolved quickly, the school may plan for an early dismissal.
An off-site evacuation may be necessary when it is no longer safe to stay in the building. If there has been a violent event at the school, an off-site evacuation will almost always be necessary since the school will be deemed a crime scene.
- Evacuate to a location
- Used to move people from one location to a different location in or out of the building.
Shelter
Typically called when specific protective actions are needed based on a threat or a hazard, which can include severe weather. Collaboration with local first responders, the National Weather Service and other local, regional and state resources help in developing specific actions for the district’s response.
- Followed by hazard and safety strategy
- Used for group and self-protection.
Reunification
In the event of an emergency where students need to be evacuated, relocated, or are unable to be dismissed through normal procedures, the district will implement the Standard Reunification Method (SRM). This process ensures that students are safely and systematically released to their parents or guardians in a controlled and secure manner. Reunification may take place at an off-site location and requires proper identification and verification to maintain student safety. By coordinating with the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), the SRM helps maintain order and accountability during and after a crisis, ensuring that families are reconnected as efficiently and safely as possible.
For more information about the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) and the Reunification method, the SRP Toolkit provides a clear overview of each action, along with visual aids and supporting materials to help everyone understand the process. Click the button below to download the full toolkit.
SRP Updates and Communications
August 7, 2025
La Joya ISD Launches District-Wide Safety Protocol in Line with New State Law
La Joya, TX – Following the passing of House Bill 1481 in the Texas Legislature, student use of cell phones and personal communication devices in public schools across the state will be banned effective September 1, 2025.
In compliance with the law, La Joya ISD has implemented guidelines to ensure these devices are powered off and put away from first to last bell.
While the new law is aimed at minimizing learning distractions, it has raised concerns among parents regarding communication with their child should an emergency take place. To address these concerns, as well as promote transparency and ensure the safety of students and staff, La Joya ISD is reinforcing the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) across all campuses, strengthening a unified, district-wide approach to emergency preparedness and response.
A critical component for safety in schools, the SRP is a consistent and unified way students, staff and first responders react to emergencies by providing a clear and consistent framework developed in coordination with the Texas School Safety Center.
The SRP is used across Texas to promote consistency during an emergency and enhance coordination with first responders through six key actions and directives:
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Hold – Restricts movement within a school by requiring students and staff to remain in the classroom with the door locked as instruction continues.
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Secure – Issued when there is a threat or a hazard outside of the school. Students and staff must remain inside for safety.
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Lockdown – Issued when there is a threat or a hazard inside of the school and uses classrooms and school security to protect students and staff.
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Evacuate – Issued when there is a need to move students and staff from one location to another whether that be on or off site.
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Shelter – Issues when specific protective actions are needed based on a threat or a hazard, including severe weather.
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Reunification – One of the most critical aspects of crisis response. A predetermined, practiced reunification method ensures the reunification process won’t further complicate what can already be a chaotic situation.
To provide a better understanding of the SRP, La Joya ISD has launched a comprehensive information campaign – in English and Spanish – detailing each protocol step and how students and staff should react in each scenario.
“We use the Standard Response Protocol district-wide so that, in any emergency, students and staff know exactly what to do,” said La Joya ISD Police Chief Leonardo Sanchez. “By sharing this vital information with our community, we are incorporating the SRP into daily campus routines, which ensures quicker, more coordinated responses in emergencies.”
Beyond a more coordinated response, integrating the SRP into campus life supports training consistency across all campuses via district-led drills and awareness efforts. This information rollout campaign also strengthens the confidence and trust in La Joya ISD’s commitment safety.
Part of that commitment is to ensure transparency, which is why, in alignment with the SRP, parents will be notified anytime their child’s campus activates one of the SRP directives.
“La Joya ISD remains dedicated to a Legacy of Execellence through rigorous instruction, community engagement and safe student-centered environments,” said Dr. Marcey Sorensen, Superintendent of School for La Joya ISD. “The district is committed to upholding the highest standards of preparedness and care in every aspect of school life.”
By embedding the SRP into its culture, La Joya ISD is taking proactive measures to ensure a safer, more prepared learning environment for all students and staff – one directive at a time.