HARROLD, Texas—A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to allow teachers and staff to pack guns for protection when classes begin later this month, a newspaper reported.

Trustees at the Harrold Independent School District approved a district policy change last October so employees can carry concealed firearms to deter and protect against school shootings, provided the gun-toting teachers follow certain requirements.

Superintendent David Thweatt said the small community is a 30-minute drive from the sheriff’s office. He said the district’s lone campus sits 500 feet from heavily trafficked U.S. 287, which could make it a target.