THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY YUDICHAK, BAKER, GORDNER, TARTAGLIONE, FARNESE, SOLOBAY, COSTA, BLAKE, STACK, BREWSTER, SCHWANK, ARGALL, BOSCOLA, FONTANA, WASHINGTON, HUGHES, BROWNE AND FERLO, MAY 29, 2012

REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 29, 2012  

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An

act relating to the public school system, including certain

provisions applicable as well to private and parochial

schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the

laws relating thereto," further providing for Office for Safe

Schools.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 1302-A(b) and (c) of the act of March 10,

1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,

amended November 17, 2010 (P.L.996, No.104), are amended to

read:

Section 1302-A.  Office for Safe Schools.--* * *

(b)  The office shall have the power and duty to implement

the following:

(1)  To coordinate antiviolence efforts between school,

professional, parental, governmental, law enforcement and

community organizations and associations.

(2)  To collect, develop and disseminate information,

policies, strategies and other information to assist in the

development of programs to impact school violence.

(2.1)  To direct all school entities to submit annual school

violence statistics and reports to the office no later than July

31 of each year.

(3)  To provide direct training to school employes, parents,

law enforcement officials and communities on effective measures

to prevent and combat school violence.

(4)  To advise school entities and nonpublic schools on the

development of policies to be used regarding possession of

weapons by any person, acts of violence and protocols for

coordination with and reporting to law enforcement officials and

the Department of Education.

(4.1)  To verify the existence of corrective action plans to

reduce incidents of violence as required in the No Child Left

Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425).

(5)  To develop forms to be used by school entities and

police departments for reporting incidents involving acts of

violence and possession of weapons on school property. The forms

shall be reviewed on a biennial basis and revised when

necessary.

(6)  To verify that each school entity has a biennially 

updated and reexecuted memorandum of understanding with local

law enforcement and has filed such memorandum with the office on

a biennial basis.

(7)  To publish and post on the Department of Education's

Internet website a School Safety Annual Report no later than

November 1 of each calendar year outlining all incidents

required to be reported under section 1303-A and any school

district that failed to submit a report under section 1303-A.

(8)  Not later than January 2, 2013, to establish an antigang

counseling program to provide materials, support and financial

assistance to participating school districts to establish pilot

programs designed to educate students and parents on the

following:

(i)  The extent to which criminal gang activity exists in the

school district's community and the types of activity that

criminal gangs engage in or promote.

(ii)  The negative societal impacts that criminal gangs have

on a community, including criminal activity.

(iii)  Methods to discourage participation in criminal gangs.

(iv)  The consequences of criminal gang activity, including

consequences in the criminal justice system for participating in

criminal gangs.

(9)  To encourage the use of community resources not directly

affiliated with the school district, including the participation

of law enforcement officials in a pilot program under paragraph

(8).

* * *

(c)  In addition to the powers and duties set forth under

subsection (b), the office is authorized to make targeted grants

to school entities to fund programs which address school

violence, including:

(1)  Conflict resolution or dispute management, including

restorative justice strategies.

(1.1)  School-wide positive behavior support that includes

primary or universal, secondary and tertiary supports and

interventions in school entities.

(1.2)  School-based diversion programs.

(2)  Peer helpers programs.

(3)  Risk assessment, safety-related, violence prevention

curricula, including, but not limited to, dating violence

curricula and restorative justice strategies.

(4)  Classroom management.

(5)  Student codes of conduct.

(6)  Training to undertake a districtwide assessment of risk

factors that increase the likelihood of problem behaviors among

students.

(7)  Development and implementation of research-based

violence prevention programs that address risk factors to reduce

incidents of problem behaviors among students including, but not

limited to, bullying.

(8)  Comprehensive, districtwide school safety and violence

prevention plans.

(9)  Security planning, purchase of security-related

technology which may include metal detectors, protective

lighting, surveillance equipment, special emergency

communications equipment, electronic locksets, deadbolts and

theft control devices and training in the use of security-

related technology. Security planning and purchase of security-

related technology shall be based on safety needs identified by

the school entity's board of directors.

(10)  Institution of student, staff and visitor

identification systems, including criminal background check

software.

(11)  Establishment or enhancement of school security

personnel, including school resource officers.

(12)  Provision of specialized staff and student training

programs, including training for Student Assistance Program team

members in elementary, middle and high schools in the referral

of students at risk of violent behavior to appropriate

community-based services, including mental health services.

(13)  Alternative education programs provided for in Article

XIX-C.

(14)  Counseling services for students enrolled in

alternative education programs.

(15)  An Internet web-based system for the management of

student discipline, including misconduct and criminal offenses.

(16)  Staff training programs in the use of positive behavior

supports, de-escalation techniques and appropriate responses to

student behavior that may require immediate intervention.

(17)  Antigang pilot programs.

* * *

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.