Rhode Island Public Law 13 (S 0801 Substitute B

Rhode Island Public Law 13 (S 0801 Substitute B - Chapter 151)

School Safety Assessments and Model School Safety Plan

Directs each school district to conduct a school safety assessment in conjunction with local municipal police and fire departments within 30 days of this Act's passage and every three years thereafter. Also directs the department of elementary and secondary education to develop a model school safety plan (districts are to consult this plan as they develop their own). Requires every school committee to review and amend plans in executive session. Allows school crises response teams to seek mental health resources from the department of elementary and secondary education and to coordinate mental health services for those students and school employees affected by acts of violence in the schools, using resources available through the department of elementary and secondary education.Requires that school safety plans be developed and approved in consultation with local police 31 and fire. The state police shall provide consultation for those school districts that for whatever reason may not have access to local police. Requires school safety plans to address prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Repealed and replaced details of what plans need to include:
(1) Appropriate prevention, mitigation, preparedness and intervention strategies which are based on data to target priority needs and which make use of effective actions based on currently accepted best practices and once developed, the appropriate parts of the state model plan -- that include consistent, plain language and terminology;
(2) Formalized collaborative arrangements with state and local law enforcement and fire fighter officials, designed to ensure that school safety officers and other security personnel are adequately trained, including being trained to de-escalate potentially violent situations, and are effectively and fairly recruited;
(3) Policies and procedures relating to school building security, including where appropriate the use of school safety officers and/or security devices or procedures;
(4) Policies and procedures for annual school safety training and a review of the school crisis response plan for staff and students;
(5) Protocols for school personnel and students responding to bomb threats, hostage takings, intrusions, and kidnappings that include consistent, plain language and terminology that
is recommended by the model plan;
(6) Policies and procedures for responding to violence by students, teachers, other school personnel as well as visitors to the school that include consistent, plain language and terminology that is recommended by the model plan;
(7) Policies and procedures for responding to acts of violence by students, teachers, other school personnel and visitors to the school that include consistent, plain language and
21 terminology that is recommended by the model plan;
(8) Policies and procedures for contacting appropriate law enforcement officials and EMS/Fire, in the event of a violent incident and that include consistent, plain language and
terminology that is recommended by the model plan;
(9) Policies and procedures for notification and activation of the school crisis response team that include consistent, plain language and terminology that is recommended by the model
plan;
(10) Policies and procedures for contacting parents, guardians, or persons in parental relation to the students of the city, town, or region in the event of a violent incident;
(11) Policies and procedures for the dissemination of informative materials regarding the early detection of potentially violent behaviors, including, but not limited to, the identification of
family, community, and environmental factors, to teachers, administrators, school personnel, persons in parental relation to students of the city, town, or region students and other persons deemed appropriate to receive that information;
(12) Strategies for improving communication, including use of common, consistent plain language by school district officials, school officials and emergency responders, among students
and between students and staff and reporting of potentially violent incidents, such as the establishment of youth-run programs, peer mediation, conflict resolution, creating a forum or
designating a mentor for students concerned with bullying or violence, and establishing anonymous reporting mechanisms for school violence;
(13) A description of the duties of hall monitors and any other school safety personnel, including the school crisis response team, and the training requirements of all personnel acting in a school security capacity and policies and procedures for students, personnel who are in the hallway during a lockdown situation that include consistent language and terminology that is
recommended by the department of elementary and secondary education;
(14) Policies and procedures for providing notice of threats of violence or harm to the student or school employee who is the subject of the threat. The policy shall define "threats of
violence or harm" to include violent actions and threats of violent actions either individually or by groups, but shall not include conduct or comments that a reasonable person would not seriously consider to be a legitimate threat;
(15) Policies and procedures for disclosing information that is provided to the school administrators about a student's conduct, including, but not limited to, the student's prior disciplinary records, and history of violence, to classroom teachers, school staff, and school security, if they have been determined by the principal to have a legitimate need for the information in order to fulfill their professional responsibilities and for protecting such information from any further disclosure; and
(16) Procedures for determining whether or not any threats or conduct established in the policy may be grounds for discipline of the student. School districts, school committees, school officials, and school employees providing notice in good faith as required and consistent with the committee's policies adopted under this section are immune from any liability arising out of such notification.
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law13/law13151.htm

Source:
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us

Status: Signed into law Status Date: 07/11/2013

Rhode Island Public Law 13 (S 0801 Substitute B - Chapter 151)
School Safety Assessments and Model School Safety Plan
Directs each school district to conduct a school safety assessment in conjunction with local municipal police and fire departments within 30 days of this Act's passage and every three years thereafter. Also directs the department of elementary and secondary education to develop a model school safety plan (districts are to consult this plan as they develop their own). Requires every school committee to review and amend plans in executive session. Allows school crises response teams to seek mental health resources from the department of elementary and secondary education and to coordinate mental health services for those students and school employees affected by acts of violence in the schools, using resources available through the department of elementary and secondary education.Requires that school safety plans be developed and approved in consultation with local police 31 and fire. The state police shall provide consultation for those school districts that for whatever reason may not have access to local police. Requires school safety plans to address prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Repealed and replaced details of what plans need to include: (1) Appropriate prevention, mitigation, preparedness and intervention strategies which are based on data to target priority needs and which make use of effective actions based on currently accepted best practices and once developed, the appropriate parts of the state model plan -- that include consistent, plain language and terminology; (2) Formalized collaborative arrangements with state and local law enforcement and fire fighter officials, designed to ensure that school safety officers and other security personnel are adequately trained, including being trained to de-escalate potentially violent situations, and are effectively and fairly recruited; (3) Policies and procedures relating to school building security, including where appropriate the use of school safety officers and/or security devices or procedures; (4) Policies and procedures for annual school safety training and a review of the school crisis response plan for staff and students; (5) Protocols for school personnel and students responding to bomb threats, hostage takings, intrusions, and kidnappings that include consistent, plain language and terminology that is recommended by the model plan; (6) Policies and procedures for responding to violence by students, teachers, other school personnel as well as visitors to the school that include consistent, plain language and terminology that is recommended by the model plan; (7) Policies and procedures for responding to acts of violence by students, teachers, other school personnel and visitors to the school that include consistent, plain language and 21 terminology that is recommended by the model plan; (8) Policies and procedures for contacting appropriate law enforcement officials and EMS/Fire, in the event of a violent incident and that include consistent, plain language and terminology that is recommended by the model plan; (9) Policies and procedures for notification and activation of the school crisis response team that include consistent, plain language and terminology that is recommended by the model plan; (10) Policies and procedures for contacting parents, guardians, or persons in parental relation to the students of the city, town, or region in the event of a violent incident; (11) Policies and procedures for the dissemination of informative materials regarding the early detection of potentially violent behaviors, including, but not limited to, the identification of family, community, and environmental factors, to teachers, administrators, school personnel, persons in parental relation to students of the city, town, or region students and other persons deemed appropriate to receive that information; (12) Strategies for improving communication, including use of common, consistent plain language by school district officials, school officials and emergency responders, among students and between students and staff and reporting of potentially violent incidents, such as the establishment of youth-run programs, peer mediation, conflict resolution, creating a forum or designating a mentor for students concerned with bullying or violence, and establishing anonymous reporting mechanisms for school violence; (13) A description of the duties of hall monitors and any other school safety personnel, including the school crisis response team, and the training requirements of all personnel acting in a school security capacity and policies and procedures for students, personnel who are in the hallway during a lockdown situation that include consistent language and terminology that is recommended by the department of elementary and secondary education; (14) Policies and procedures for providing notice of threats of violence or harm to the student or school employee who is the subject of the threat. The policy shall define "threats of violence or harm" to include violent actions and threats of violent actions either individually or by groups, but shall not include conduct or comments that a reasonable person would not seriously consider to be a legitimate threat; (15) Policies and procedures for disclosing information that is provided to the school administrators about a student's conduct, including, but not limited to, the student's prior disciplinary records, and history of violence, to classroom teachers, school staff, and school security, if they have been determined by the principal to have a legitimate need for the information in order to fulfill their professional responsibilities and for protecting such information from any further disclosure; and (16) Procedures for determining whether or not any threats or conduct established in the policy may be grounds for discipline of the student. School districts, school committees, school officials, and school employees providing notice in good faith as required and consistent with the committee's policies adopted under this section are immune from any liability arising out of such notification. http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law13/law13151.htm
Source: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us
Status: Signed into law	Status Date: 07/11/2013