Existing law establishes the Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment within the Department of Education. (NRS 388.1323) Existing law requires the Director of the Office to establish the Safe-to-Tell Program, which allows any person to report anonymously to the Program any dangerous, violent or unlawful activity which is being conducted, or is threatened to be conducted, on school property, at an activity sponsored by a public school or on a school bus of a public school. (NRS 388.1455) Existing law requires the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to appoint a team of at least three members of the staff of each public school in the district to receive reports of such activity from the support center of the Program. (NRS 388.14553) Section 12 of this bill names these teams “threat assessment teams.” Section 2 of this bill requires a threat assessment team to: (1) respond to any report of dangerous, violent or unlawful activity on school property, at a school activity, on a school bus or by a pupil enrolled at the school; (2) establish a policy to address a mental health or substance abuse crisis experienced by a pupil; and (3) perform certain other duties related to the recognition of and response to threats.
Section 3 of this bill requires the Director to enter into a contract to develop and maintain a computerized tool for assessing security risks at public schools in this State. Section 4 of this bill requires the designation of an administrative employee as the school safety specialist for a school district or charter school. Section 4 requires the school safety specialist to perform certain duties concerning school safety and security, including providing training concerning school safety and security to school employees and pupils and conducting an annual school security risk assessment using the computerized tool developed by the Director. Section 8 of this bill requires the Office to: (1) provide technical assistance and guidance for school districts and charter schools concerning safety and security; (2) provide training to school safety specialists; (3) review and provide recommendations concerning school security risk assessments; and (4) award grants to school districts and charter schools for the purpose of improving the safety and security of school buildings in accordance with those recommendations.
Section 5 of this bill requires the Director to establish and make available to employees of school districts a computerized program that consists of: (1) a database containing information relevant to school safety and security; and (2) tools and resources for analyzing such data. Section 6 of this bill requires the Director to award grants to school districts and charter schools to establish a school crime watch program at schools in the district and charter schools.
Existing law authorizes the board of trustees of a school district to employ, appoint or contract for the provision of school police officers and school resource officers. (NRS 388.2358, 391.281) Section 7 of this bill requires the board of trustees of a school district to enter into a cooperative agreement with a local law enforcement agency to provide one or more school resource officers, which is a peace officer employed by the local law enforcement agency, for each school in the district that is not served by a school police officer. Section 7 also allows a charter school to enter into such an agreement and prescribes certain required training for and powers of a school resource officer.
Existing law requires the Department to prescribe a policy to provide a safe and respectful learning environment. (NRS 388.133) Section 9 of this bill requires that policy to include procedures to identify and stop threatening behavior. Sections 17 and 35 of this bill require the plan to be used by a public or private school in response to a crisis, emergency or suicide to designate a school employee who is responsible for contacting a public safety agency in response to a crisis or emergency and the public safety agencies that will be contacted in response to different types of crisis or emergency. Section 18 of this bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt regulations that require training and practice in procedures for responding to an active shooter or the taking of a hostage. Section 30 of this bill requires the board of trustees of a school district to establish a schedule to test the emergency communications systems at each school in the district.
Existing law requires the Department of Education to award block grants to school districts and charter schools to employ or contract with social workers and other mental health workers in schools with identified needs. (NRS 388.266) Section 19 of this bill expands this program to instead award block grants to expand school-based mental health and substance abuse services in such schools. Section 20 of this bill requires the Department to establish an evidence-based youth mental health awareness and assistance training program to assist school employees in the identification of and response to emotional disturbance, mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
Section 22 of this bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a network of persons to provide integrated services to pupils with severe emotional disturbance. Sections 23, 33, 38, 39, 44, 45 and 49 of this bill require sharing of information concerning a child who is at risk of an emotional disturbance or a mental health or substance abuse crisis among schools and certain state and local governmental entities as necessary to ensure: (1) the safety of the child and other persons; and (2) that the child receives appropriate services. Sections 27 and 28 of this bill require certain plans relating to the discipline of pupils to provide for the referral of a pupil to behavioral health services when appropriate. Section 37 of this bill requires a court that refers a child for mental health services to notify the school district or school in which the child is currently enrolled of the referral. Section 51 of this bill requires the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide community-based behavioral health and support services to persons with serious behavioral health conditions who are under 21 years of age.
Sections 10-16, 24-26, 29, 32, 34, 36, 40-42, 46-48 and 50 of this bill make conforming changes.
Close digest
Existing law establishes the Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment within the Department of Education. (NRS 388.1323) Existing law requires the Director of the Office to establish the Safe-to-Tell Program, which allows any person to report anonymously to the Program any dangerous, violent or unlawful activity which is being conducted, or is threatened to be conducted, on school property, at an activity sponsored by a public school or on a school bus of a public school. (NRS 388.1455) Existing law requires the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to appoint a team of at least three members of the staff of each public school in the district to receive reports of such activity from the support center of the Program. (NRS 388.14553) Section 12 of this bill names these teams “threat assessment teams.” Section 2 of this bill requires a threat assessment team to: (1) respond to any report of dangerous, violent or unlawful activity on school property, at a school activity, on a school bus or by a pupil enrolled at the school; (2) establish a policy to address a mental health or substance abuse crisis experienced by a pupil; and (3) perform certain other duties related to the recognition of and response to threats.
Section 3 of this bill requires the Director to enter into a contract to develop and maintain a computerized tool for assessing security risks at public schools in this State. Section 4 of this bill requires the designation of an administrative employee as the school safety specialist for a school district or charter school. Section 4 requires the school safety specialist to perform certain duties concerning school safety and security, including providing training concerning school safety and security to school employees and pupils and conducting an annual school security risk assessment using the computerized tool developed by the Director. Section 8 of this bill requires the Office to: (1) provide technical assistance and guidance for school districts and charter schools concerning safety and security; (2) provide training to school safety specialists; (3) review and provide recommendations concerning school security risk assessments; and (4) award grants to school districts and charter schools for the purpose of improving the safety and security of school buildings in accordance with those recommendations.
Section 5 of this bill requires the Director to establish and make available to employees of school districts a computerized program that consists of: (1) a database containing information relevant to school safety and security; and (2) tools and resources for analyzing such data. Section 6 of this bill requires the Director to award grants to school districts and charter schools to establish a school crime watch program at schools in the district and charter schools.
Existing law authorizes the board of trustees of a school district to employ, appoint or contract for the provision of school police officers and school resource officers. (NRS 388.2358, 391.281) Section 7 of this bill requires the board of trustees of a school district to enter into a cooperative agreement with a local law enforcement agency to provide one or more school resource officers, which is a peace officer employed by the local law enforcement agency, for each school in the district that is not served by a school police officer. Section 7 also allows a charter school to enter into such an agreement and prescribes certain required training for and powers of a school resource officer.
Existing law requires the Department to prescribe a policy to provide a safe and respectful learning environment. (NRS 388.133) Section 9 of this bill requires that policy to include procedures to identify and stop threatening behavior. Sections 17 and 35 of this bill require the plan to be used by a public or private school in response to a crisis, emergency or suicide to designate a school employee who is responsible for contacting a public safety agency in response to a crisis or emergency and the public safety agencies that will be contacted in response to different types of crisis or emergency. Section 18 of this bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt regulations that require training and practice in procedures for responding to an active shooter or the taking of a hostage. Section 30 of this bill requires the board of trustees of a school district to establish a schedule to test the emergency communications systems at each school in the district.
Existing law requires the Department of Education to award block grants to school districts and charter schools to employ or contract with social workers and other mental health workers in schools with identified needs. (NRS 388.266) Section 19 of this bill expands this program to instead award block grants to expand school-based mental health and substance abuse services in such schools. Section 20 of this bill requires the Department to establish an evidence-based youth mental health awareness and assistance training program to assist school employees in the identification of and response to emotional disturbance, mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
Section 22 of this bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a network of persons to provide integrated services to pupils with severe emotional disturbance. Sections 23, 33, 38, 39, 44, 45 and 49 of this bill require sharing of information concerning a child who is at risk of an emotional disturbance or a mental health or substance abuse crisis among schools and certain state and local governmental entities as necessary to ensure: (1) the safety of the child and other persons; and (2) that the child receives appropriate services. Sections 27 and 28 of this bill require certain plans relating to the discipline of pupils to provide for the referral of a pupil to behavioral health services when appropriate. Section 37 of this bill requires a court that refers a child for mental health services to notify the school district or school in which the child is currently enrolled of the referral. Section 51 of this bill requires the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide community-based behavioral health and support services to persons with serious behavioral health conditions who are under 21 years of age.
Sections 10-16, 24-26, 29, 32, 34, 36, 40-42, 46-48 and 50 of this bill make conforming changes.