3131-S AMH SANT ADAM 144

SHB 3131 - H AMD 1264

By Representative Santos

ADOPTED 2/19/2008

   On page 5, beginning on line 19, strike all of section 2 and insert the following:

   "NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall convene a multistakeholder school threat assessment work group to develop, by September 1, 2009, a model policy and programmatic guidance on threat assessment and threat management in schools. The model policy's purpose is to provide school personnel and community safety agencies with best practice policies and procedures that should be followed to address assessment and intervention methods associated with a student's act or threat of violence or harm, or a student's use, attempted use, threatened use, or intent to use a weapon on school grounds. The model policy shall:

   (a) Be consistent with the elements of RCW 28A.320.128 and the office of the superintendent of public instruction's model policy addressing requirements for notification of threats of violence or harm adopted under RCW 28A.320.128;

   (b) Address the definition of threat assessment in the context of a student's act or threat of violence or harm, or a student's use, attempted use, threatened use, or intent to use a weapon on school grounds;

   (c) Define the range of best practice interventions that should be pursued if a student involved in an act or threat of violence or harm to self, others, or property, or the use, attempted use, threatened use, or intent to use a weapon on school grounds, is either released to the community while expelled or suspended, or returned to the school environment; and

   (d) Address the purpose of a school threat assessment, guidelines for school threat management plans, governance of the threat assessment process, including the responsibilities of the convening agency, the boundaries of information shared between multiple agencies, membership of threat assessment committees, and liability issues for those involved in the process.

   (2) The multistakeholder school threat assessment work group should consist of representatives from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the association of Washington school principals, the Washington association of school administrators, the Washington school directors association, the Washington state safe school advisory committee, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, the Washington state emergency management division, school employee unions, school risk managers, special education professionals, the mental health division of the department of social and health services, the juvenile court administrators association, and other appropriate community safety agencies and organizations as determined by the superintendent of public instruction.

   (3) By September 1, 2010, the office of the superintendent of public instruction will facilitate quarterly trainings to school districts on the implementation of the model school threat assessment policy and programmatic guidance to provide school personnel and community safety agencies with the recommended best practice policies and procedures. This training will address the assessment and intervention methods associated with a student's act or threat of violence or harm, or a student's use, attempted use, threatened use, or intent to use a weapon on school grounds.

   (4) The superintendent of public instruction shall provide the following reports to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate:

   (a) By September 15, 2009, a report on the components of the model policy adopted under subsection (1) of this section;

   (b) By January 15, 2011, a report on the implementation of the quarterly trainings required under subsection (3) of this section; and

   (c) By November 15, 2011, a report on the compliance of school districts in adopting the policy on threat assessment and threat management required under section 3 of this act.

   (5) The office of superintendent of public instruction shall implement this section within existing funds.

   (6) This section expires December 31, 2011.

   NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:

   By September 1, 2011, each school district board of directors shall adopt a policy on threat assessment and threat management in schools that addresses how schools will provide for the safety of all individuals involved in or affected by threats of violence or harm, or the use, attempted use, threatened use, or intent to use a firearm or other weapon prohibited under RCW 9.41.280. The school district's threat assessment and threat management policy must address the issues identified in section 2(1) of this act. In developing its policy on threat assessment and threat management, the school district shall consider the model policy and guidance on threat assessment and threat management developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction under section 2 of this act."

   Correct the title.

EFFECT: Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide the following reports to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate:

• By 9/15/2009, a report on the components of the model policy;

• By 1/15/2011, a report on the implementation of the quarterly trainings to school districts; and

• By 11/15/2011, a report on the compliance of school districts in adopting the policy on threat assessment and threat management.

Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to implement the provisions of the bill concerning the model threat assessment policy, school district trainings, and reports to the Legislature within existing funds and provides that these sections expire on 12/31/2011.