The City of Austin's Safe Routes to School Crossing Guard Program provides adult crossing guards to help young students safely walk and bike to and home from school. Each crossing guard receives thorough training about their specific duties, local traffic regulations, and crossing techniques. Safe Routes employs over 200 crossing guards and crossing guard supervisors at 97 elementary schools throughout Austin ISD and in six neighboring school districts.
Become a Crossing Guard
The City of Austin is always looking for friendly neighborhood crossing guards for schools across Austin! The hourly rate for crossing guards will increase to $20.80/hr on Oct. 1, 2023.
Crossing Guards must be able to:
- Clearly communicate verbally and in writing with children, supervisor, school employees, other city employees and the general public.
- Understand verbal and written instructions.
- Walk or stand in adverse weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, rain, thunderstorms, etc.
- Hear and see approaching traffic or pedestrians and perceive and appropriately respond to potential traffic hazards.
- Raise and carry a stop sign weighing up to five pounds upright, continuously for up to two minutes each crossing activity.
- Push or pull a child weighing up to 100 pounds when necessary.
- Bend from the waist and/or twist when necessary.
- Respond to potential emergency situations.
To learn more about crossing guard job requirements, hours, and available locations, please contact Leticia Richardson via e-mail or at 512-974-9181.
Please note that crossing guard applications can be downloaded but not submitted through the online City of Austin Job Portal. To apply, please see our step-by-step Crossing Guard Application Guide and contact Leticia Richardson using the contact info listed above.
Get a Crossing Guard for Your School
All crossing guard requests must be supported by the school’s Campus Advisory Council (CAC). Once the CAC has approved, school staff and parents can request a crossing guard for their elementary school by phone or online via Austin 3-1-1. Requests must include the specific intersection for the proposed crossing guard.
Safe Routes then reviews the intersection on an unannounced fair-weather day to see how many students walk or bike through this intersection. Usually, at least 20 children must cross the intersection during school zone hours to warrant a crossing guard, although Safe Routes also considers the following factors:
- Traffic volume
- Traffic speed
- Line of sight issues
- Location history
- Ratio of adults to children crossing intersection
Host a Volunteer Crossing Guard Training at Your School
Some schools, including some middle or high schools, may not qualify for a paid City of Austin Crossing Guard. However, Principals of these schools may request a Crossing Guard Training for one or more volunteers. Safe Routes will provide the training and equipment; schools requesting Crossing Guard Trainings are responsible for any recruiting, scheduling, or compensation for volunteers.
Request a Volunteer Crossing Guard Training by contacting Leticia Richardson via e-mail or at 512-974-9181.
Deferred Disposition for School Zone Citations
City of Austin Municipal Court Prosecutors may offer a Deferred Disposition to motorists who receive a citation for speeding or using a mobile device in a school zone.
If the deferral is offered, the defendant may participate in the Safe Routes to School Deferred Disposition Program. This program helps raise awareness of school zone speeding and distracted driving.
As part of the Safe Routes Deferred Disposition Program, the defendant would spend two shifts with a crossing guard. During the first shift, the defendant would count the number of people walking at the intersection, and during the second, the defendant would count drivers speeding or using a mobile device.
After successfully completing the program, the offense would not go on the defendant’s driving record and would not be reported to their car insurance provider. This program enjoys a 99+ percent positive feedback rating and has had only one repeat offender.