SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 476, 1153, 1534 PRINTER'S NO. 2115
No. 456 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY HARHART, BARLEY, BROWNE, DALLY, ARGALL, BARD,
BARRAR, BELARDI, BENNINGHOFF, BUNT, CHADWICK, CIVERA,
L. I. COHEN, M. COHEN, CORNELL, COY, DEMPSEY, EACHUS,
FICHTER, FLICK, GLADECK, GODSHALL, GORDNER, HARHAI, HASAY,
HERMAN, HERSHEY, JOSEPHS, KENNEY, MAITLAND, MASLAND, McCALL,
MICOZZIE, S. MILLER, NAILOR, ORIE, PLATTS, PRESTON, RAMOS,
READSHAW, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SCHULER, SCRIMENTI, SEYFERT,
B. SMITH, STEELMAN, STEVENSON, E. Z. TAYLOR, J. TAYLOR,
THOMAS, TIGUE, TRELLO, WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON AND FRANKEL,
FEBRUARY 9, 1999
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, JUNE 16, 1999
AN ACT
1 Establishing the Safe and Secure Schools Program to assist <--
2 school districts and area vocational-technical schools in the
3 purchase of equipment, provision of special services and in
4 the development of programs to enhance school safety; and
5 providing for duties of the Department of Education.
6 AMENDING THE ACT OF MARCH 10, 1949 (P.L.30, NO.14), ENTITLED "AN <--
7 ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, INCLUDING CERTAIN
8 PROVISIONS APPLICABLE AS WELL TO PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL
9 SCHOOLS; AMENDING, REVISING, CONSOLIDATING AND CHANGING THE
10 LAWS RELATING THERETO," FURTHER PROVIDING FOR OFFICE FOR SAFE
11 SCHOOLS.
12 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
13 hereby enacts as follows:
14 Section 1. Short title. <--
15 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Safe and
16 Secure Schools Act.
17 Section 2. Definitions.
18 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
1 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
2 context clearly indicates otherwise:
3 "Department." The Department of Education of the
4 Commonwealth.
5 "Secretary." The Secretary of Education.
6 Section 3. Safe and Secure Schools Program.
7 The Safe and Secure Schools Program is established and shall
8 be administered by the department.
9 Section 4. Grants.
10 The department shall make awards to schools under the Safe
11 and Secure Schools Program. The funds appropriated shall be
12 allocated by the department as awards to school districts and
13 area vocational-technical schools for the purpose of assisting
14 these entities in providing additional technology, personnel or
15 programs which will make the schools safer and more secure
16 learning environments.
17 Section 5. Use of funds.
18 Funds appropriated may be used for purposes, including, but
19 not limited to, the following:
20 (1) Purchase of security-related technology which may
21 include metal detectors, protective lighting, surveillance
22 equipment, special emergency communications equipment,
23 electronic locksets and deadbolts and theft control devices.
24 (2) Establishment or enhancement of school security
25 personnel, including K-9 capabilities.
26 (3) Development or implementation of comprehensive local
27 violence response plans.
28 (4) Provision of specialized staff and student training
29 programs.
30 (5) Purchase of instructional materials for
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1 implementation of safety-related curriculum or programs.
2 (6) Institution of student, staff and visitor
3 identification systems.
4 (7) Alternative education programs provided for in
5 Article XIX-C of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),
6 known as the Public School Code of 1949.
7 (8) Targeted grants to school districts pursuant to
8 section 1302-A(c) of the Public School Code of 1949, relating
9 to the Office of Safe Schools.
10 (9) Development and implementation of conflict
11 resolution training programs for school employees and
12 students.
13 (10) Development of anticrime counseling and education
14 programs for students in kindergarten through the eighth
15 grade.
16 Section 6. Distribution of funds.
17 The secretary shall allocate funds as follows:
18 (1) An eligible school entity shall submit to the
19 secretary for approval a plan outlining the use of funds
20 appropriated under guidelines to be developed by the
21 department.
22 (2) Each district and area vocational-technical school
23 shall be required to maintain separate accounts in its budget
24 to facilitate monitoring the use of these funds.
25 (3) The secretary shall develop auditing guidelines to
26 track expenditures under this section.
27 (4) The secretary shall award an amount to each school
28 district or area vocational-technical school, which submits
29 an approved plan for the use of these funds, an amount
30 determined by multiplying the number of students in average
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1 daily membership in the district or area vocational-technical
2 school by the fixed amount per student established annually
3 on the date the appropriations become effective. All awards
4 shall be limited to the funds appropriated for this purpose.
5 Each award shall be made in a single payment and the
6 secretary shall draw his requisition upon the State Treasurer
7 in favor of each school district or area vocational-technical
8 school.
9 (5) No more than 10% of the funds appropriated shall be
10 allocated to an individual school district or area
11 vocational-technical school.
12 Section 7. Final reports.
13 (a) School reports.--Each school district or area
14 vocational-technical school receiving an award under this act
15 shall report on the use of these funds to the secretary no later
16 than October 31 following the school year in which the funds are
17 expended. Reports by school districts or area vocational-
18 technical schools shall be submitted in a form determined by the
19 secretary.
20 (b) Secretary reports.--The secretary shall file a report on
21 or before December 31 of each year for the prior school year on
22 the operation of the Safe and Secure Schools Program established
23 by this act. The report shall include a listing of the uses of
24 funds allocated for each qualifying district or area vocational-
25 technical school. This report shall be filed with the majority
26 and minority chairs of the Appropriations and Education
27 Committees of the Senate and the majority and minority chairs of
28 the Appropriation and Education Committees of the House of
29 Representatives.
30 Section 8. Penalties.
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1 A district or area vocational-technical school failing to use
2 the funds allocated pursuant to this act in the prescribed
3 manner shall have the amount of aid obtained withheld from its
4 subsequent State subsidy payments under provisions established
5 by the secretary.
6 Section 9. Effective date.
7 This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.
8 SECTION 1. SECTION 1302-A(C) OF THE ACT OF MARCH 10, 1949 <--
9 (P.L.30, NO.14), KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949, ADDED
10 JUNE 30, 1995 (P.L.220, NO.26), IS AMENDED TO READ:
11 SECTION 1302-A. OFFICE FOR SAFE SCHOOLS.--* * *
12 (C) IN ADDITION TO THE POWERS AND DUTIES SET FORTH UNDER
13 SUBSECTION (A), THE OFFICE IS AUTHORIZED TO MAKE TARGETED GRANTS
14 TO SCHOOLS TO FUND PROGRAMS WHICH ADDRESS SCHOOL VIOLENCE,
15 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:
16 (1) CONFLICT RESOLUTION OR DISPUTE MANAGEMENT.
17 (2) PEER HELPERS PROGRAMS.
18 (3) RISK ASSESSMENT, SAFETY-RELATED OR VIOLENCE PREVENTION
19 CURRICULA.
20 (4) CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT.
21 (5) STUDENT CODES OF CONDUCT.
22 (6) TRAINING TO UNDERTAKE A DISTRICTWIDE ASSESSMENT OF RISK
23 FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF PROBLEM BEHAVIORS AMONG
24 STUDENTS.
25 (7) DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH-BASED
26 VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS RISK FACTORS TO REDUCE
27 INCIDENTS OF PROBLEM BEHAVIORS AMONG STUDENTS.
28 (8) COMPREHENSIVE, DISTRICTWIDE SCHOOL SAFETY AND VIOLENCE
29 PREVENTION PLANS.
30 (9) SECURITY PLANNING, PURCHASE OF SECURITY-RELATED
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1 TECHNOLOGY WHICH MAY INCLUDE METAL DETECTORS, PROTECTIVE
2 LIGHTING, SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT, SPECIAL EMERGENCY
3 COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, ELECTRONIC LOCKSETS, DEADBOLTS AND
4 THEFT CONTROL DEVICES AND TRAINING IN THE USE OF SECURITY-
5 RELATED TECHNOLOGY. SECURITY PLANNING AND PURCHASE OF SECURITY-
6 RELATED TECHNOLOGY SHALL BE BASED ON SAFETY NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY
7 THE SCHOOL ENTITY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
8 (10) INSTITUTION OF STUDENT, STAFF AND VISITOR
9 IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS.
10 (11) ESTABLISHMENT OR ENHANCEMENT OF SCHOOL SECURITY
11 PERSONNEL, INCLUDING SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
12 (12) PROVISION OF SPECIALIZED STAFF AND STUDENT TRAINING
13 PROGRAMS, INCLUDING TRAINING FOR STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TEAM
14 MEMBERS IN ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE REFERRAL
15 OF STUDENTS AT RISK OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR TO APPROPRIATE
16 COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
17 (13) ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLE
18 XIX-C.
19 (14) COUNSELING SERVICES FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN
20 ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
21 * * *
22 SECTION 2. THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT JULY 1, 1999.
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