New bill aims to increase compliance with school violence law - newschannel20.com

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS/WRSP) — A recent uptick in violence in schools is grabbing the attention of state school officials.

They want to make it easier to track whether schools are doing everything they can to prevent violence inside the classroom.

Illinois schools are required by law to develop protocols for violence prevention and response, but state officials have no way to track if schools are complying.

Now, lawmakers are hoping to change that by adding to a law passed in 2019.

That law required all school districts to develop a threat assessment team including mental health professionals and law enforcement.

It required protocols to prevent violence and a review of every school’s emergency and crisis plans--something that could help with the recent uptick in school violence.

The updated law would require schools to give compliance updates more often and create a better system of accountability.

Lawmakers say this isn’t about politics, it’s about keeping kids and teachers safe in the classroom.

"We’re hearing fights, we’re hearing attacks in high schools, and it's exasperated this year much more than we’ve ever seen in the past," said Kathi Griffin, president of the Illinois Education Association.

The IEA is working with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to make sure districts come into compliance with this law in order to protect students and teachers.

But as the law currently stands, there's no way to track which districts are complying and which ones aren't.

Right now, the state checks each threat assessment plan every four years and school boards have to review the plans and protocols annually.

"We want the threat assessment to be going annually with the members of the team to the ROEs, and in turn, ISBE," said Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, a sponsor of the bill.

That shorter timeframe allows officials at all levels to have a better understanding of how the districts are handling threats and violence.

The state is already receiving other resources to help lessen school violence.

That includes more than $5 billion in ESSER funds, which stands for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds.

That is federal money that can be used to hire more counselors and psychologists in schools with the hope of preventing tragedy.

But that funding is limited in its use for physical safety measures.

"ESSER covers video surveillance and panic buttons, not specifically metal detectors, but it does provide for other safety measures," said Bridget Shanahan, with the Illinois Education Association.

Right now, McCombie says there are no penalties laid out in the bill for noncompliance besides a potential tragedy, but psychologists say it’ll make a long term difference to have more resources in schools.

"If a student decides that they want to talk, or they need some help, it will be easier for them because it's right there and it's available," said Mary Beth Ray with Professional Counseling Services.

The 2019 bill expands the use of the 1-cent county sales tax to include school safety improvements, school resource officers or mental health professionals, or allow a district to issue bonds, borrow money, or find other ways to pay for the similar needs.

IEA officials cited that funding source as a potential way to pay for metal detectors.

After a stabbing at Lanphier High School left one teenager dead last month, District 186 in Springfield is working to install metal detectors in their high schools.

We reached out to ask if District 186 was in compliance with the 2019 law and if they planned to use that tax funding for metal detectors.

A spokesperson sent us the following statement:

We are in compliance with the 2019 School Threat Assessment Bill.

Our threat assessment teams consist of school administrators, social workers, psychologists, and District security personnel and administrators.

When there is any concern about the safety of students or staff, the threat assessment teams convene and make a collective decision on next steps. When a risk assessment is recommended, it is implemented as soon as possible, and any affected students are supervised until the level of risk is determined. Our employees are trained on this risk assessment protocol.

When a risk assessment is conducted, school psychologists and social workers utilize the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY), and other age appropriate risk assessment tools and clinical interviews with parents and students.

Following the assessment, a support plan and/or safety plan is developed, depending on the outcome of the assessment.

Our facilities master plan, which is funded by the voter approved one percent sales tax increase, includes safety and security upgrades to our buildings. We have upgraded security cameras across the district and several school entrances have been modified. All schools will eventually have a double secure entrance and new buzz in systems with cameras. We are committed to providing additional improvements that will include other security practices and structural modifications to make our buildings more secure as well as the consideration of metal detecting devices and personnel to operate them.

In order to expand the use of the one percent county sales tax for mental health and security or school resource officer personnel, there would have to be an additional referendum voted on by county residents. Currently, we are leveraging the full amount of the collected sales tax for our facilities plan.

We also reached out to the Sangamon and Menard Regional Office of Education to find out if they knew which districts were in compliance with the law.

The regional superintendent tells us that she believes all of the districts are in compliance at this time, but that the regional office doesn't analyze each district's threat assessment plan in depth.

source: https://newschannel20.com/news/local/new-bill-aims-to-increase-compliance-with-school-violence-law

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