TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — Temple ISD students head back to school Thursday with new security upgrades across campuses and an artificial intelligence pilot program launching in high school classrooms.
Following a bond passed by voters in November 2025, families will notice several visible changes when they drop off students for the first day. New cameras, exterior fencing, courtyard fencing, and impact-resistant film are among the upgrades already in place or nearing completion at campuses across the district. Officers are currently training to be stationed at every campus, and fire and camera systems have been updated.
Superintendent Dr. Bobby Ott said safety is the district's top priority.
"Parents are going to notice and so will students right away. They'll notice new cameras all across the school district, they'll notice exterior fencing. Many parents have already commented on that because they've been driving by the schools and they're excited to see a lot of the different fencing projects that were either underway or have been completed," Ott said. "We've also installed impact-resistant film. Every single building in Temple ISD now has impact-resistant film on all the first floors, and we've exceeded the Texas Education Agency requirements because we've also covered large spaces like cafeterias."
Ott said students and staff cannot be expected to perform at their best if they don't feel secure.
"In my mind, safety is job one, and that's not just for students; it's everybody in the organization. You can hardly ever expect students and staff to perform to their optimal levels if they're looking over their shoulder, if they don't feel like they're safe," Ott said.
On the technology front, artificial intelligence will enter a pilot phase in high school classrooms as part of the teaching and learning curriculum. Ott said the district has also updated its cybersecurity as it works to carefully incorporate new technologies.
Ott said the goal is to make sure AI supplements learning rather than replacing critical thinking.
"We don't want to introduce AI so students lose critical thinking. Critical thinking is the most important thing. We don't want students to over rely on AI and forget to use their brain. So we have to make sure that it's introduced in a way to where it's supplemental. It doesn't take the place of our minds," Ott said.
With 8,800 students, 6,500 families, and 1,400 staff members all returning at once, Ott is asking the community to be patient in the first weeks of school.
"The first couple weeks is really a time to exercise patience. You have a lot of things that are coming together at once. You've got 6,500 families, 8,800 students, and 1,400 staff members, and they're all coming together at one time. So there's logistics involved in that. There's new norms," Ott said.
The first day of school is Thursday, Aug. 13.
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