School Safety and Violence Prevention 2015 National PTA Legislative Conference March 11, 2015 Kathy Cowan NASP Director of Communications Eric Rossen,

School Safety and Violence Prevention

2015 National PTA Legislative ConferenceMarch 11, 2015

Kathy CowanNASP Director of Communications

Eric Rossen, PhD, NCSPNASP Director of Professional Development and Standards

Learning ObjectivesAfter this session, you will be able to:

• Define school safety• Identify key components of comprehensive and

coordinated school safety• Describe school safety policy trends across the

country• Avoid the pitfalls of having “fear” govern policy

decision-making• Describe the role of mental health services in

promoting school safety

How Do You Define School Safety?

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Indicators of a Safe School• Feeling connected• Welcoming• Free from harassment and bullying• Orderly and predictable environment• Culture of respect and trust• Ability to be yourself without judgment or ridicule• Discipline that focuses on learning rather than punishment• Trying without immediate success is viewed as learning,

not failure• Knowing where to get help when you need it• Absence of violent behavior

• All of these are necessary to enable kids to learn

What has happened since Sandy Hook?

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School Safety Legislation Since Newtown

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120

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Legislation IntroducedLegislation Enacted

As of Nov 2014; source: Education Week

School Safety State Legislative Activity

2015- 55 bills introduced

Bills address (in order of frequency):– Arming staff

– Requiring bullet proof glass

– Training for SRO

– Crisis plans

– Improving school climate

– Improving access to MH

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Current Federal Legislation

• Safe Schools Improvement Act– Defines bullying

– Requires states to report data on bullying and harassment to the Department of Education.

• Student Non-Discrimination Act– prohibits harassment on the basis of real or perceived sexual

orientation or gender identity

• Safe Students Act – Introduced in the House

– Would repeal the Gun Free School Zones Act of 1990

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Many Bills Don’t Reflect the Reality That …

Schools are among the safest places for our kids

10Courtesy Dewey Cornell

11Courtesy Dewey Cornell

12Courtesy Dewey Cornell

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During the 2010/2011 school year, the odds of a student (age 5-18) being the victim of a homicide at school was the equivalent being struck by lightning 5 times.

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2015), National Weather Service. (2014).

When Fear Drives Decision-MakingSchools Become Fortresses

Scare Resources Diverted to Rare Risks and to Potentially Harmful Training

More Guns In Schools

Zero Tolerance Suspensions for Non-Violent Behavior

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Are we paying attention to the more likely safety risks for our students?

28 percent of 12- to 18-year-old students reported being bullied at school (NCES, 2014)

19% report gang presence at school (NCES, 2014)

74% of LGBT youth report being verbally harassed at school (GLSEN, 2014)

7% of students miss school for safety concerns (CDC, 2013)

What Really Makes A School Safe?

• Consensus statement developed after Newtown

• Author groups have leadership roles on school safety and crisis teams:

– School administrators– School-employed mental

health professionals– School Resource Offices

• Nearly 120 endorsing organizations and safety experts

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http://www.nasponline.org/resources/framework-safe-and-successful-schools.aspx

Key Components of Safe Schools

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Integrated Collaborative

Interdisciplinary Services

Multi-Tiered Systems of

Support (MTSS)

Effective Discipline

Balance Physical and Psychological

Safety

Integrated School

Safety and Crisis Efforts

Improved Access to

Mental Health Services

Safe and Supportive

Schools

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Integrated Collaborative Interdisciplinary Services and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

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Comprehensive Integrated School Learning and Supports

Student SupportsInstruction

Management

Safe and Successful

Schools

Addressing Barriers to Learning

Direct Facilitated Learning

Governance, Resources, Operations

All are equally essential to learning and school success.

ACADEMIC SYSTEMS

Tier III: Comprehensive & Intensive Interventions

Tier II: Strategic Interventions-Small Group and/or technology assisted instruction

Tier I: Core Curriculum – All Students;

BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS

Tier III: Comprehensive & Intensive Interventions (Suicide/Threat Assessment; Individual Counseling; Intensive Behavior/Social Skills)

Tier II: Strategic/Targeted Interventions—Some At-Risk Students (Group Counseling; Social Skills; Check and Connect; Peer Mediation/Mentoring)

Tier I: Universal Interventions – All Students (PBIS); Bullying Prevention; Wellness Promotion; Social-Emotional Learning; Mental Health Screening)

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Blank BlankDirect Application to School Safety

Physical Safety Psychological Safety

(Reeves, Kanan, & Plog, 2010)

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http://www.nasponline.org/about_nasp/position_paper.aspx

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/Bullying/Bullying_Brief_12.pdf

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Improved Access to School Mental Health Services

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School-Employed Mental Health Professionals• In schools where kids are and trained to work there• Accessible and familiar to families and students• Link mental and behavioral health and learning• Understand how to provide interventions/support

within school context (e.g. safeguarding instruction time)

• Provide ongoing, regular consultation with teachers and other staff

• Integral part of school teams (child study, school safety, school improvement)

• Services typically not restricted by insurance reimbursement

School-Community Collaboration

• Minimize gaps in/ improves access to services

• Supports families ability to get help

• Facilitates communication between school and community providers and families

• Directs use of resources appropriately 27

Services provided by school professionals

a.m. p.m.

p.m.p.m.

Services provided by community providers

Improved communication, understanding, implementation

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Balancing Physical and Psychological Safety and Integrating School Safety and Crisis Capacities

Physical Safety Psychological Safety

Secure doors Trusting and Respectful Relationships

Check in/out system Access to school employed mental health professionals

Lighted hallways Continuum of support services

Monitoring of School Grounds Mental Health First Aid

Properly designed playgrounds and sports fields

Positive Discipline

Adult supervision in high traffic areas Anti-bullying initiatives

School Resource Officer** Confidential Reporting System

Threat Assessment Procedures Threat Assessment Procedures

Balancing Physical and Psychological Safety

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NASP Position Statement: School Violence Prevention

• Schools are safe, but can be safer

• Emphasizes prevention and creating positive school climates

• Recognizes more common forms of violence (e.g., bullying and harassment)

• Calls for common sense gun safety policies that: – reduce access to firearms by those

in immediate danger of hurting self or others

– prevent inappropriate youth access to guns

– Restricting presence of guns in schools to only commissioned school resource officers

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PREPaRE School Safety and Crisis Curriculum

• Comprehensive school safety and crisis training curriculum.

• Crisis team and crisis plan development.

• Interdisciplinary/ interagency collaboration.

• Emphasis on student mental health.

• Multiple adaptable resources and tools.

• Sustainable and affordable.

• Builds local capacity,www.nasponline.org/prepare/index.aspx

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Active Shooter Training Guidance• 5 states have passed

laws requiring training• Delineates risks, multi-

level options of training, critical role of MH

• Emphasizes EXTREME caution when doing full-scale drills

• Recognizes local decision-making

• PTA signed onto document as a supporter

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Employing Positive Discipline

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Positive Discipline

• Teaches and reinforces positive skills to replace negative behaviors.

• Sets expectations and appropriate consequences.

• Recognizes students’ positive behaviors.• Employs restorative justice and peer

mediation when appropriate.• Adults model positive, versus punitive,

behaviors.

• Children learn from their mistakes.

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Zero Tolerance and Punitive Discipline

They Do Not Work and Are Actually Harmful

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Useful Data Sources

Data Sources• Educational Outcome Data

– State/District/Building

• Demographic Risk Data

– Kids Count

• Research or Survey Data

– YRBSS

– School Climate

– Scholarly Research

• Office of Civil Rights Data38

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System

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http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm

YRBSS Data—Philadelphia

YRBSS Data—Philadelphia

http://ocrdata.ed.gov/

What You Can Do

• Know policies at the state and district level• Use PTA, NASP and other best practices

resources to open conversations with decision-makers

• Partner with state/local organizations and education groups to create a common voice

• Request that a parent serve on school safety team

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What to Advocate For

• Integrated, comprehensive services for all students

• Adequate staffing to promote and sustain school safety efforts

• Appropriate use of resources to maintain a balanced approach to school safety (i.e., physical AND psychological safety)

• Positive discipline approaches• Having a parent serve on school safety teams• Comprehensive, school-focused safety and

crisis training (including ongoing PD)E45

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What to Advocate For

• ESEA reauthorization– PBIS/MTSS as an allowable use of Title I funds– Preservation of dedicated funding streams to support

student behavioral and mental health and emergency preparedness and crisis response

• Funding for:– Research partnerships between universities and

SEAs/LEAs– Schools to implement and evaluate school safety

initiatives– REMS and SERV grants

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Questions?

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