BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to school safety allocations; adding a new chapter to Title 28A RCW; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature recognizes that the safety of students, employees, and volunteers in the public schools of Washington is of vital importance to the entire state. The legislature finds that the safety concerns parents, school employees, and the public have for our children and others in the schools are significant, growing, and well-founded.

(2) The legislature finds that the factors that increasingly threaten the safety of our schools also undermine the ability of students to achieve high academic standards. A safe and supportive learning environment is a precondition for student learning. The legislature also recognizes that a wide range of strategies can enhance school safety and that school districts must have flexibility to implement those safety programs that local communities determine are the highest priorities for their own community.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall review all state and federal programs and sources of funds that have as part of their purpose the enhancement of safety in schools. The superintendent shall develop a plan for consolidating all existing state and federal programs and funding sources addressed in the review conducted under this section. The plan shall be submitted to the education and fiscal committees of the house of representatives and the senate by September 15, 2001. The plan shall identify any and all changes in state laws and rules that are necessary to implement the plan. The plan shall outline steps that must be taken in order to secure federal approval for consolidation of federal programs and funds targeted toward school safety.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, the superintendent of public instruction shall not include in the review required under this section programs and funds included in section 514, chapter 309, Laws of 1999, the education reform provisions of the 1999 omnibus appropriations act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The plan developed under section 2 of this act shall:

(1) Report the level of per pupil funding that would be available based on the current level of funding for state programs reviewed;

(2) Report the level of per pupil funding that would be available based on the current level of funding for federal programs reviewed;

(3) Recommend the level of per pupil funding that would be necessary to adequately fund school safety programs; and

(4) Outline a recommended strategy and timeline for implementing a transition from the current system to the new system in which flexible school safety funding is provided on a per pupil basis to all school districts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) Before the superintendent of public instruction distributes a school safety allocation to a school district, the superintendent shall require the school district to submit a plan for school safety that the allocation supports.

(2) The school safety plan submitted by the district must include safety plans specific to each school site within the district.

(3) The safety plan submitted by the district also shall:

(a) Describe a full continuum of school safety related programs, activities, and efforts;

(b) Identify programs and activities the district will spend its allocations to implement;

(c) Demonstrate how the planned spending on the identified programs and activities will best complete a coherent and effective range of school safety efforts in the school and school district;

(d) Include any available information indicating that the district's planned use of the allocation will best meet the needs of the particular school community or the community served by the entire district; and

(e) After June 30, 2003, include a description of the results achieved for safety and for student learning of the programs and activities funded through school safety allocations.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Safety allocation funds may be expended for the following programs and activities:

(1) Compensation for school security staff, including school resource officers;

(2) Compensation and other program costs for counseling and prevention and intervention services provided by employees or through contracted services;

(3) Staff development related to safety;

(4) Nonviolence and leadership training;

(5) Development of school safety plans, including expenses necessary to achieve community-wide collaboration in plan design;

(6) Technical assistance, training, and establishment and maintenance of crisis response teams;

(7) Security assessments;

(8) Security equipment;

(9) Programs, training, and curricula dealing with safety and violence prevention, such as conflict resolution, peer mediation, hotlines, anonymous student surveys, and other effective prevention and intervention programs;

(10) Family outreach and early childhood development services for high-risk children and families;

(11) Character education programs; and

(12) Other activities and programs the school district deems effective in meeting the safety needs of students and their families in the local community.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. School districts may contract with an educational service district, consortium of school districts, or a combination of local public agencies and private nonprofit organizations for the development and implementation of programs and activities permitted and funded under this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 4, 5, and 6 of this act take effect June 30, 2003.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 7 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW.