House Select Committee on School Safety - Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendations Charles A. Quagliato, Division of Legislative Services September 11, 2018

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #1 – Require the use of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between each local school board and the relevant local law-enforcement agency regarding the use of School Resource Officers (SROs). The mandatory use of such MOUs would ensure that school boards and law-enforcement agencies have clear expectations and well-defined responsibilities regarding SROs. In school divisions in which such MOUs are not currently used, there may be a lack of clarity regarding the expectations for and responsibilities of SROs.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #2 – Increase funding for the School Resource Officer Grants Program (Program) (§ 9.1-110 of the Code of Virginia). The Program is funded at $1.3 million per year for the current biennium, but the budget for the current fiscal year includes an additional $1.3 million to fund the acceptance of grant applications that were previously denied solely for lack of sufficient funding. An additional increase in funding for the second year of the current biennium will enable the General Assembly to meet the growing demand for Program funds.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #3 – Increase funding for mental health services in public elementary and secondary schools. There are many reports of increased mental health issues in schools.  There are many different existing programs focused on mental health services in schools, and there may be opportunities to increase funding for these programs to ensure that adequate resources are available in each school.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #4 – Recommend cooperative agreements between school boards and the Department of Social Services (DSS) and Community Services Boards (CSB) to provide mental health and community-based services for students who need such services. Such cooperative agreements would ensure that additional resources are available to address the mental health issues that may arise in public elementary and secondary schools.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #5 – Recommend that all localities enter into mutual aid agreements with other localities to provide emergency services. Such mutual aid agreements would establish expectations and promote the availability of additional assistance in emergency situations.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #6 – Recommend that school board employees who are responsible for procurement work with local fire marshals to ensure that any infrastructure improvement complies with the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC). Currently, school board employees who are responsible for procurement may purchase items to increase building security, such as doors and door locks, that do not comply with the SFPC.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #7 – Require all school board employees to complete Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training; permit non-security and non- instructional personnel to complete such training online. Increasing CIT training will allow school board employees to more easily recognize mental health issues and de-escalate them in a timely manner.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #8 – Recommend that the Board of Education amend its regulations establishing the Standards of Accreditation to permit school counselors to return to providing counseling services. Many schools currently require school counselors to perform administrative responsibilities such as testing coordination, but the increase in behavioral health issues in school settings necessitates the Standards of Accreditation to be amended to require that school counselors spend a certain percentage of their staff time providing counselor services. The other administrative responsibilities that are currently assigned to school counselors should be reassigned.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #9 – Amend the statutory provisions relating to the retirement of law-enforcement officers so that retired law-enforcement officers can serve as SROs. Currently, retired law-enforcement officers cannot work as SROs and receive their retiree benefits. A change to the law-enforcement retirement statutes could allow retired law-enforcement officers to work as SROs and still receive retiree benefits.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #10 – Increase funding to the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) for additional school safety training programs and personnel. Additional funding would allow DCJS to provide more school safety training programs. Additional funding would likely include an increase in funded positions within DCJS.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #11 – Amend the Virginia Juvenile Community Crime Control Act (VJCCCA) so that community services can be provided to juveniles before they are brought before the court on a complaint or petition. VJCCCA provides funding for the diversion of youth offenders from the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) custody to a community-based program. Currently, VJCCCA only applies to children brought before the court. Amending the VJCCA will allow at-risk youth to receive community services and support before they are brought before the court.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #12 – Recommend increased collaboration among the various stakeholders in school safety audits and crisis management planning. Currently, school boards are required to perform school safety audits and develop and review crisis management plans. It is unclear whether school boards have historically sought or currently seek to collaborate with first responders in the performance of such audits and the development and review of such plans, but such collaboration would be beneficial.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #13 – Recommend the development or purchase of an anonymous suicide tip/chat mobile application. Recommend that the Commonwealth or school boards explore the possibility of procuring a mobile application for the anonymous reporting of threats of suicide and other mental health issues.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #14 – Establish a commission to explore the development of a Commonwealth-run suicide hotline/mobile application (similar to SAFE UT). The SafeUT Crisis Text and Tip Line is a statewide service in Utah that provides real-time crisis intervention to youth through texting and a mobile application for confidential tips. The Commonwealth should establish a commission to explore the feasibility of a similar Commonwealth-run service.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #15 – Lower the ratio of school counselors to students in public elementary and secondary schools. The current school counselor ratio ranges from 1:350 students to 1:500 students depending on school level. The Virginia School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 1:250 in all public elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth. *Significant Fiscal Impact.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #16 – Provide funding for the Delinquency Prevention and Youth Development Act. The Delinquency Prevention and Youth Development Act was defunded in 2004. If the Act is funded, it may allow at-risk youth to receive community services and support before they are brought before the court.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #17 – Change the date of the primary elections held in June from the second Tuesday in June to the third Tuesday in June. This date change will enhance controlled access to schools during the school year. Currently, June primary elections occur during the school year in many localities. Pushing such primary elections to the third week in June would ensure that the elections occur after the school year has ended.

Prevention and Response Protocol Subcommittee Recommendation #18 – Make the November election day a school holiday. This change will enhance controlled access to schools during the school year. Currently, November elections occur during the school year. Making the November election day a school holiday would ensure that the November election occurs when students do not have to be at school.