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1 [1] (March 16, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govchwq0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF.ri E~$~ & Updated March 16, 2020 Department of Education Support for School Safety Initiatives Congressional interest in K-12 public school safety and security has been strong following recent school shootings, including the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, and Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, TX. Though public school safety and security is primarily a state and local responsibility, there are several federal programs and initiatives that can support these efforts. This In Focus provides an overview of programs and resources administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for improving school safety. Ourremkty ,,unded C ra-t Prkaxram ED currently administers two programs that can help state and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) address school safety concerns. Both programs are authorized under Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; P.L. 114-95). Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (SSAE grants, commonly referred to as the block grant program) are authorized under ESEA Title IV-A. The purpose of S SAE grants is to improve students' academic achievement by increasing the capacity of states, LEAs, and schools to provide all students with access to a well- rounded education, improve school conditions for student learning, and improve the use of technology. S SAE grant funds are allocated by formula to each SEA, which must allocate the majority of the SSAE block grant funds they receive to LEAs (though they may reserve some funds for state activities to support LEAs receiving grants). Funds are then suballocated via formula to LEAs. Program appropriations were $1.21 billion in FY2020. LEAs have substantial flexibility with respect to the use of funds under the SSAE grant program. However, they must use funds for three broad categories of activities: (1) supporting well-rounded educational opportunities, (2) supporting safe and healthy students (including school safety initiatives), and (3) supporting the effective use of technology to improve the digital literacy of all students. If an LEA receives a grant of $30,000 or more, it must provide assurances that it will use funds toward activities in each of the three categories, including at least 20% for activities supporting safe and healthy students. If an LEA receives a grant of less than $30,000, it may choose to use its funds entirely toward one of the categories of activities. In such cases, LEAs may choose to use the entirety of their SSAE grants toward school safety initiatives, or conversely, to use all of their funds for activities under one of the other two categories. Under either scenario, an LEA may choose to support a safe and healthy student initiative unrelated to school safety (e.g., a health or nutrition education program) or an initiative focused on school safety. The programs and activities an LEA selects to support in the category of Safe and Healthy Students (§4108) must, among other requirements, be used to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive programs and activities that are coordinated with other schools and community-based services and programs; and foster safe, healthy, supportive, and drug-free environments that support student academic achievement. Examples of allowable activities in this category related to school safety include the following: * drug and violence prevention programs and activities that are evidence based (to the extent that such evidence is reasonably available), * school-based mental health services, * bullying and harassment prevention programs and activities, * re-entry/transition programs for justice-involved youth, * mentoring and school counseling, * school-wide positive behavioral intervention and support (PBIS) programs, and * training for school personnel in trauma-informed practices in classroom management and crisis management. While drug and violence prevention activities are only examples of what an LEA might choose to support with Title IV-A funds, the Title IV-A program includes a definition of what constitutes drug and violence prevention in §4102(5). With respect to violence prevention, the term is defined as: the promotion of school safety, such that students and school personnel are free from violent and disruptive acts, including sexual harassment and abuse, and victimization associated with prejudice and intolerance, on school premises, going to and from school, and at school-sponsored activities, through the creation and maintenance of a school environment that is free of weapons and fosters individual responsibility and respect for the rights of others. National Activities for School Safety are authorized under Title IV-F-3, Section 4631 of the ESEA. The National Activities for School Safety program authorizes the Secretary of Education (hereinafter referred to as the Secretary) to use a portion of its funds for the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program. Any remaining funds may be used to carry out gognpo goo , q g 'S a X

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