0420 AR - Comprehensive Safety Plan

Adopted: 3/24/03
Revised: 6/13/18
 

The County Superintendent of Schools recognizes that students and staff have the right to a safe and secure campus where they are free from physical and psychological harm. The County Superintendent of Schools is fully committed to maximizing school safety and to creating a positive learning environment that teaches strategies for violence prevention and emphasizes high expectations for student conduct, responsible behavior and respect for others. In compliance with state law, schools shall develop a comprehensive school safety plan relevant to the needs and resources of that particular school which include, but not limited to, the school's staffing, available resources, and building design, as well as other factors unique to the site. New school campuses shall develop a safety plan within one year of initiating operations. The County Superintendent of Schools shall review and approve a comprehensive safety plan for schools and programs operated by the County Superintendent of Schools as follows:

1. The comprehensive safety plan(s) shall be reviewed and updated by the School Site Council or designated Safety Committee of each school and program operated by the County Superintendent of Schools and submit the plan to the County Superintendent or his/her designee for review.
2. The County Board shall review and approve the comprehensive safety plan(s) in order to ensure compliance with state law, County Board policy, and administrative regulation and shall approve the plan(s) at a regularly scheduled meeting. When reviewing the comprehensive school safety plan, the County Board may meet in closed session to confer with law enforcement officials, provided that any vote to approve the comprehensive school safety plan is announced in open session following the closed session.
3. By October 15 of each year, the County Superintendent or his/her designee shall notify the California Department of Education of any schools and programs operated by the County Superintendent of Schools that have not complied with the requirements of Education Code 32281.

Notwithstanding the process described above, any portion of a comprehensive school safety plan that includes tactical responses to criminal incidents that may result in death or serious bodily injury at the school or program site, including steps to be taken to safeguard students and staff, secure the affected school premises, and apprehend the criminal perpetrator(s), shall be developed by administrators in accordance with Education Code 32281. In developing such strategies, the County Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee(s) shall consult with law enforcement officials and with a representative of an employee bargaining unit, if he/she chooses to participate.

Public Access to Safety Plan(s)

The County Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee(s) shall ensure that an updated file of all safety-related plans and materials is readily available for inspection by the public. However, those portions of the comprehensive school safety plan that include tactical responses to criminal incidents shall not be publicly disclosed.

Board Policy: 0000

Derivation: Adopted 3/24/03; Amended and Renamed 6/13/18.

Legal Reference:
Education Code
200-262.4, 32260-32262, 32270, 32280-32289, 32290, 35147, 35183, 35291- 35291.5, 35294.10-35294.15, 41510-41514, 48900-48927, 48950, 49079, 67381
Penal Code
422.55, 626.8, 11164-11174.3
California State Constitution
Article 1, Section 28(c)
California Code of Regulations, Title 5
11987-11987.7, 11992-11993
United States Code, Title 20
7101-7165, 7912

Management Resources:
CSBA Publication: Safe Schools: Strategies for Governing Boards to Ensure Student Success, Third Edition, October 2011; Community Schools: Partnerships Supporting Students, Families and Communities, Policy Brief, October 2010; Cyberbullying: Policy Considerations for Boards, Policy Brief, July 2010; Providing a Safe, Nondiscriminatory School Environment for All Students, Policy Brief, April 2010
California Department of Education Publications: Safe Schools: A Planning Guide for Action, 2002
U.S. Department of Education Publications: Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities, January 2007; Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools, August 1998
U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education Publications: Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates, 2002
 

Websites:
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education, Safe Schools: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss
California Emergency Management Agency: http://www.calema.ca.gov
California Healthy Kids Survey: http://chks.wested.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention
National Alliance for Safe Schools
National Center for Crisis Management: http://www.schoolcrisisresponse.com
National School Safety Center: http://www.schoolsafety.us
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov
U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center