CENTEGIX | Education

Michigan School Safety Standards

CENTEGIX | Education

Michigan School Safety Standards

CENTEGIX | Case Study

North Branch Area Schools Improve Emergency Communication with CENTEGIX CrisisAlert™

After a tragedy took place at a nearby school district in late 2021, administrators at North Branch Area Schools knew they needed to do more to keep their staff and students safe—they needed a solution that would allow them to respond immediately.

Get the details on why North Branch Area Schools chose CENTEGIX CrisisAlert to close communication gaps, and then share with leaders, decision-makers, and other stewards of safety so they can see how we can help your district create a culture of safety.

Download your copy of the case study today.

Section 31aa: Grant Funding for Student Mental Health

Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature have allocated funding for districts to carry out activities to improve student mental health. Eliglble applicants include districts, intermediate districts, nonpublic schools, and the Michigan Schools for the Deaf and Blind. 

School safety initiatives that funds can be spent on include:

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Coordination with local law enforcement

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Training for school staff on threat assessment

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    Training for school staff and students on threat response

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    Training for school staff on crisis communication 

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      Safety infrastructure such as cameras, hardened vestibules, and technology necessary to operate buzzer systems 

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        Student Safety Management System 

           

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          Any other school safety service or product necessary to improve or maintain security in buildings 

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            A secure platform for all school safety-related items, including EOP templates, reference documents, and security assessments

            Michigan schools can now apply for funding to establish and enhance school safety initiatives. The CENTEGIX® CrisisAlert™ wearable badge is the simplest, most reliable solution for obtaining help in an emergency.

            We go beyond mobile phone panic alert apps:

            Enables a rapid response anywhere on campus

              Immediately alerts campus responders with the push of a button.

              Provides precise room and floor-level location information to first responders.

              One-button activation enables users to easily and rapidly request help.

              Intercom, strobe, and desktop notifications in the event of a lockdown.

              Request a demonstration today to learn how CrisisAlert meets the safety initiative requirements of 31aa and can make a measurable impact on the safety and security of your district.

              Michigan School Safety Task Force

              In 2018, Michigan’s School Safety Task Force issued a set of wide-ranging and far-reaching final recommendations for making Michigan public schools safer. Governor Rick Snyder created the School Safety Task Force to ” identify structural and policy recommendations for collaboration, planning, and assessment of school infrastructure and safety policies.” The Task Force recommended that Michigan schools do the following:

              • Conduct physical security assessments.
              • Implement interior and exterior security measures.
              • Implement Emergency Operations Planning (EOP) training.
              • Meet state compliance requirements.
              • Integrate state guidance regarding emergency drills, definitions of terms, and threats of violence.
              • Define the roles of safety personnel in schools.

               

              • Adopt the OK2SAY program, which encourages students to report information about suspicious behaviors, bullying, suicide threats, anxiety, drugs, etc.
              • Increase training for safety and security staff.
              • Award schools that foster safe environments.
              • Increase collaboration among public health experts and educators.
              • Implement student behavioral health screenings.

              These recommendations underscore Michigan lawmakers’ focus on school safety in recent years. These measures range from addressing behavioral health concerns to instituting school safety curricula to requiring secure infrastructure.

              K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment Training

              In all of Michigan’s current and upcoming public school policies and legislation, focused attention on students’ mental health is a priority. Last year, the Michigan State Police Office of School Safety (MSP/OSS) hosted Michigan K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (Mi-BTAM) training free of charge. This training was intended for school-based threat assessment teams in K-12 public, charter, and private schools. This training taught teams to identify, engage, and work collaboratively with families and students to mitigate situational life factors contributing to thoughts of violence and aggression. Learn more here.

              Competitive School Safety Grant Program Funds Safety Measures

              The 2022 Competitive School Safety Grant Program (CSSGP) funds measures that fulfill the School Safety Task Force’s Recommendations. The Michigan Legislature appropriated $10 for these measures. The Grants and Community Services Division (GCSD) of the Michigan State Police (MSP) awarded and administered these competitive grants. Eligible grantees included public schools, nonpublic schools, school districts, and intermediate school districts. These grants fund measures that improve the safety and security of students, staff, and school buildings. Specifically, the CSSGP supports purchasing safety and security technology and equipment. The program also provides funds for technology upgrades and improvements to existing systems. 

              Michigan legislators will continue to prioritize safety and security in schools. Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed increased funding for the 2022-23 fiscal year to $66 million in school safety grants. This number equals the total amount of funding for school safety distributed since 2015. According to Whitmer, “with this historic proposal and my larger education budget, which includes resources to improve every kid’s in-class experience, build and renovate school facilities, and retain and recruit more teachers, we will invest in every school and every district across Michigan.” School districts across the state will be eligible for this increased funding.

              Recommended Safety Measures

              In 2020, the US Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) convened a School Safety Working Group that identified ten essential actions schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies can take to mitigate and prevent school violence. COPS also recommended actions to facilitate swift and effective law enforcement assistance when it is necessary. The Michigan Office of School Safety highlights the role of School Resource Officers and collaboration with law enforcement as essential elements of its approach to making schools safer. COPS guidance regarding school safety measures, therefore, informs their recommendations.

              The COPS School Safety Working Group’s “ten essential actions” address both the physical safety and the emotional security of students and staff members:

                1. comprehensive school safety assessment 
                2. school climate 
                3. campus, building, and classroom security 
                4. anonymous reporting systems 
                5. coordination with first responders 
                6. behavior threat assessment and management 
                7. school-based law enforcement 
                8. mental health resources 
                9. drills 
                10. social media monitoring 

              These actions suggest that a school building’s physical security is directly related to the school community’s health. Increasingly, education leaders are making the case for security as a prerequisite for a robust learning environment.

              Alyssa's Law and School Safety Measures

              Alyssa’s Law, named after Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victim Alyssa Alhadeff, aims to ensure that first responders can reach schools as quickly as possible, take down threats, and triage any victims. Alyssa’s Law seeks to decrease law enforcement response time when a life-threatening emergency occurs in a school. The law calls for installing silent panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement. 

              Alyssa’s Law was passed in New Jersey in 2019, Florida in 2020, New York in 2022, and Texas and Tenessee in May 2023. It has also been proposed in Arizona, Nebraska, Oregon, Nebraska, Virginia, and, as of just recently, Michigan, as HB 4241. The makers of the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert school safety system incorporated feedback from Marjory Stoneman Douglas public safety commission representatives into the system’s product-level design. The system fulfills the mandate of Alyssa’s Law recently introduced by Rep. Brenda Carter and similar legislation, including the school safety measures introduced by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. 

              Ready for Next Steps?

              How to Choose a School Safety Alert System

              Physical security measures can seem like a quick fix, but researchers have found that physical security is just one of the necessary components of school safety. A positive and supportive school climate is one of the most important parts of prevention, and school climate and physical security are directly related. 

              The Michigan Office of School Safety recommends purchasing school safety systems to foster a positive school climate. When discussing potential physical safety systems with vendors, a potential purchaser should ask these questions:

              Maintenance. What if the system malfunctions? Does it require a subscription? How burdensome is it to operate?

              Research. What data proves the system’s effectiveness? What do other clients report? 

              Installation. How much construction is required? How disruptive is the installation process? What are the options for equipment placement?

              Satisfaction. What if the school is not satisfied with the product? Can the vendor share testimonials? 

              CENTEGIX CrisisAlert Fulfills Safety Mandates

              The CENTEGIX CrisisAlert school safety system features the following elements, all of which fulfill the mandates of Alyssa’s Law:

                • a mobile panic alert system featuring 100% adopted, wearable security badges
                • connections to diverse emergency services technologies
                • real-time coordination between multiple first responder agencies, including county, local, and on-site responders
                • integration with local public safety dispatchers to transmit 911 calls and mobile activations

              No Cell Phone, No Service, No Wi-Fi—No Problem

              A different approach to incident response. Because in a crisis, every second matters.

              How Are Your Resources Being Spent?

              CENTEGIX protects over 11,500 schools across the country. We can protect your school, too.

              The CENTEGIX Safety Platform™, featuring CrisisAlert™, accelerates your response to emergencies. We’ve built the CENTEGIX Safety Platform to support you in the single most critical factor of incident response: time. Because in an emergency, every second matters.

              Discover federal resources to fund new safety and security initiatives in your district by exploring federal funding resources for school safety.

              CENTEGIX | White Paper

              The Impact of Safety on the Mental Health and Well-being of Staff and Students in K-12 Schools

              When safety leads, success follows.

              We’ve examined how physical, emotional, and mental health needs comes together to create the best possible outcomes for your district in our latest white paper. Access it today.
               
              Download your copy of The Impact of Safety on the Mental Health and Well-being of Staff and Students in K-12 Schools now 
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              Michigan Rep. Brenda Carter Introduces Alyssa’s Law

              Last year, State Rep. Brenda Carter has taken up Alyssa’s law, which would require schools to install panic alert systems to rapidly initiate lockdowns and alert the authorities if adopted in Michigan. Watch our video to learn more. 

              Hear from Our Michigan Educators

              We engage with teachers and staff every day to understand how CrisisAlert supports them, and here’s what they’ve shared:

              I had a non-verbal student having a meltdown in the lunch room, I was unable to get her to leave with me. I used my Badge and 3 higher up staff members came to assist and get the other students out of the way. This device has been nothing but helpful to our whole school.

              Teacher

              Rudyard Area Schools, MI

              A student had a medical emergency in my classroom. If this situation had occurred before I had CrisisAlert, I wouldn’t be able to stay with the student. I think every school employee everywhere should have these.

              Elementary school teacher

              Richmond Community Schools, MI

              We received training on the system. The support and trail of the system was easy and clear. We will run a drill for staff/students after the entire team is trained on the system. The system is created for expediency and ease of use, both of which are necessary in an emergency situation. 

              Teacher

              Landmark Academy, MI

              Championing Safe Schools with Educators and Educator Associations

              Douglas County Schools
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              Discover the Safety Platform

              Safety solutions that prioritize speed for the best outcome.

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              A wearable mobile panic button quickly and discreetly initiates alerts.
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              Mapping and locating capabilities provide the precise locationof emergencies, visitors, and safety assets.

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              Audiovisual notifications notify everyone rapidly of a crisis.
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              A visitor management system screens and locates visitors on your campus.

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              Protocol development to plan for rapid incident response.

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              A private, managed network provides campus-wide coverage.
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              Integrations to your existing safety assets to extend their capabilities.

              CENTEGIX CrisisAlert vs. Mobile Apps

              CrisisAlert eliminates vulnerabilities related to app-only solutions and enables rapid incident response to all emergencies.

              In an Emergency, You Need CrisisAlert™

              Adverse situations can happen at any moment—from everyday crises such as medical emergencies, severe weather, and physical altercations to extreme situations that threaten your entire campus. The faster you get help to the right location, the better the outcome.

              See how our CrisisAlert wearable mobile panic button empowers staff to get help instantly in an emergency. 

              Ready to Connect with a CENTEGIX Specialist to Learn More?

              Matthew Young

              Midwest Regional Sales VP

              Phone: 586-713-7513

              Email: 

              Gary Kughn

              Director, Regional Sales

              Phone: 810-531-1658

              Email: gkughn@centegix.com

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              School Safety Standards by State

              Schools in any state can meet school safety grant funding requirements by choosing CENTEGIX CrisisAlert™ solution.

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