SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5252

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background: Educational service districts (ESDs) are regional agencies intended to provide cooperative and informational services to local school districts, assist the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education in the performance of their respective statutory or constitutional duties, and provide services to school districts to assure equal educational opportunities. Washington has nine ESDs. ESDs receive funding from the state, federal and private grants, service fees, agency contracts, and cooperatives.

ESD 105 serves 25 public schools and 22 state-approved private and tribal schools in south-central Washington. This ESD has developed a school safety and security center that offers support to school districts and individual buildings to develop safety plans. The center offers technical assistance and resource networking.

Summary of Bill: During the 2015-17 biennium, three ESDs must implement a pilot program to create regional school safety and security centers in each of the three ESDs.

The pilot program must include the following components:

establishment of a network of school safety coordinators for the ESDs, which must focus on prevention planning, intervention, mitigation, crisis response, and community recovery regarding emergency incidents in schools;
collaboration with the ESD that developed the model for a regional school safety and security center to adopt its model for a regional school safety and security center;
creation of a technology-based system that enables more efficient and effective communication between schools and emergency response entities, including local law enforcement, local fire departments, and state and federal responders;
provision of technology support to improve communication and data management between schools and emergency response entities;
ongoing training of school personnel and emergency responders to establish a system for preventative identification, intervention strategies, and management of risk behaviors;
developing a professional development program to train school personnel as first responders until the arrival of emergency responders; and
building a collaborative relationship between ESDs participating in the pilot program and OSPI, focusing on expanding regional school safety and security centers to all of the other ESDs.

The pilot program expires December 31, 2017.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: ESD 105 has set the standard for school safety. It has a successful model that can be replicated in other ESDs. Schools need to feel supported when the worst happens. There is not enough support for all of the schools throughout the state. The pilot program should have geographical diversity with programs in the east, west, and central parts of the state. ESD 105’s work has encouraged cooperation between many groups of different disciplines. ESD 105 has a plan and is ready to roll out the pilot program. School safety is a community issue. Incidents like Sandy Hook showed that school staff, teachers, and principals are the first responders to an emergency incident. School staff needs help, guidance, and information. The ESDs should work with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in conjunction with the School Safety Advisory Committee. To provide flexibility, the bill should allow the creation of technology-based systems instead of one system.