CALIFORNIA SCHOOL SAFETY SOLUTIONS GEARED TO PREVENT VIOLENCE

In 2019, the California Department of Education began a survey to see what kind of California school safety solutions were being implemented at elementary, middle, and high schools across the state. The results were released in November 2021:

• Lockdown—93% of schools conduct one or more per school year. Of those, 63% percent conduct one to two drills, 33% conduct three to four drills, and 5% conduct lockdown drills five or more times.
• Multi-option response, Run-Hide-Fight, Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate (ALICE), or Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE)—42% conduct one or more multi-option drills per school year. Of those, 68% conduct one to two drills, 17% conduct three to four drills; and 15% conduct five or more drills. 
• Earthquake drills—88% conduct one or more drop-cover-hold drills. Of those, 63% conduct one to two drills, 31% conduct three to four drills, and 6% conduct five or more drills.
• Shelter-in-place—82% conduct one or more shelter-in-place drills. Of those, 75% conduct one to two drills, 19% conduct three to four drills, and 6% conduct five or more drills.
• Evacuation—79% conduct evacuation drills one or more times. Of those, 30% conduct one to two drills, 21% conduct three to four drills, and 49% conduct five or more. 
• Reverse evacuation (moving people into the facility for safety)—32% conduct one or more reverse evacuation drills. Of those, 80% conduct one to two drills, 9% conduct three to four drills, and 11% conduct five or more. 
• Reunification—29% conduct one or more reunification drills. Of those, 66% conduct one to two drills per year, 5% conduct three to four drills, and 19% conduct five or more drills.

The California Department of Education’s Project Cal-STOP provides free training to schools based on Sandy Hook Promise’s Know the Signs Programs:

• Start With Hello trains middle and high school students on how to recognize social isolation within their classroom and school. Students learn how to reach out and help.
• Say Something teaches middle and high school students to look for warning signs and threats—especially in social media—and to act immediately. Sandy Hook Promise also operates Say Something Tips, a website where students and staff can anonymously submit their safety concerns
• SAVE Promise Club is a student-led club that allows students to practice lessons from Start With Hello and Say Something. The club organizes activities on campus that promote a safe, respectful, and inclusive climate.

Cal-STOP also includes National Alliance on Mental Illness On Campus High School Club and Youth Mental Health First Aid training as ways to give troubled young people the help they need.

While acknowledging that schools shouldn’t be like jails, the California School Boards Association encouraged school districts to take steps to secure buildings as part of California school safety solutions. 

The association recommended restricting unauthorized access to schools by limiting entrances and providing extra security for ground-level windows. In order to deter violence, 24-hour video cameras should be placed:

• at school entrances
• in hallways
• in lunchrooms
• on buses

California school safety solutions can include metal detectors to prevent weapons from entering schools. In addition, the association recommends that administrators work with law enforcement to provide on-campus resource officers.

In December 2021, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California announced $125 million was awarded by the Department of Justice under The STOP School Violence Act.

The grants were designed to help primary and secondary schools prevent school violence by training school staff and students and implementing evidence-based threat assessments. Funds were applied to anti-bullying programs and mental health intervention teams.

In addition, the Stronger Connections Grant Program awarded nearly $1 billion to states to provide students with safer and healthier learning environments. California received $119,828,943 from this program.

As part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds were made available to address the pandemic’s impact on student safety and mental well-being. As of June 30, 2022, California has spent 30% of the total awarded funds.

For the first round of ESSER grants, the state was allocated $1,647,306,127. The deadline to obligate those funds was Sept. 30, 2022. 

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act was passed in 2020. As part of the act, California’s ESSER II allocation was $6,709,633,866, and it must be obligated by Sept. 30, 2023.

Another round of funding was made available as part of the American Rescue Plan. California’s portion of those ESSER funds is $15,079,696,097, and the obligation deadline is Sept. 30, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Justice oversees the COPS School Violence Prevention Program. The money is earmarked for evidence-based school safety programs and technology.

Schools can use those funds to purchase school safety technology that helps identify potential dangers. The money can also be used to improve emergency notification and response systems. The deadline to apply is May 17, 2023. To learn more, visit the COPS website.

The U.S. Department of Justice also has funds available through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. BJA’s STOP School Violence Program funds software that helps K-12 schools maintain a safe environment. It’s geared toward recognizing, responding to, and preventing violence on campus. Applications will be taken until May 15, 2023. Learn more here.

The list of federal grants awarded to California for the 2022-23 school year includes:

• IDEA ARP, $267,360,513
• IDEA, $1,672,263,265
• Title I, $4,305,989,945
• Title IV-A, $139,925,103

A number of other federal grants are available to help school districts prevent, mitigate, respond, and recover:

• Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence—provides funding to assist children and their families exposed to violence. Deadline to Apply: April 24, 2023.
• Project AWARE—funds school-based mental health programs and services. Deadline to apply: April 28, 2023.
• Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative—supports evidence-based intervention and prevention programs to address gun violence. Deadline to apply: May 18, 2023.