Schools face pressure to ramp up safety protocols
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Parents are pressuring their communities for better preparedness, resources and action plans to keep their children safe in schools.
Why it matters: Deadly school shootings in the U.S. have been on the rise, garnering national attention on what schools could be doing better to help students emotionally and physically.
Between the lines: To help prevent violence, most districts are focused on protecting students who are suicidal and helping students deal with conflict.
"It’s really the connection that the students have with the people in the school that really make a difference when you look at prevention."— John Kelly, school psychologist and past-president of the National Association of School Psychologists.
The big picture: Most of the 250 bills introduced across the U.S. address physical measures like metal detectors or law enforcement officers. Some state and local legislatures are working with school districts on what works for students in their communities, including addressing students' emotional and mental health needs.
What they're doing:
- Texas has been funneling more money into schools for safety measures. Its Frisco school district purchased bullet proof glass, lockdown technology and mental health teams, the Dallas Morning News reports.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order in February putting in place several administrative steps targeting school safety, such as requiring a state review of all school district discipline diversion programs, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
- The Trump administration worked with families affected by the Parkland, Florida school shooting and launched schoolsafety.gov aiming to give schools a "one-stop shop" for K-12 security, mental health resources and school violence prevention and recovery.
The bottom line: Parents ranked school safety the top priority over several academic opportunities like AP testing and tutoring, the Dallas Morning News polled in December.
Go deeper:
- USDA proposes letting schools sub grains, meats for veggies
- How to make cities better for kids
- Pre-K programs slowly expand
- Schools turn to ride-hailing services to transport students
- America's startling school nurse and counselor shortage
- Parks are newly viewed as a vital puzzle piece in urban infrastructure
- Why city planners are killing the cul-de-sac
