Comprehensive school safety plans.

Existing law provides that each school district and county office of education is responsible for the development of all comprehensive school safety plans for its schools operating kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires a schoolsite council or a school safety planning committee comprised of specified members to write and develop a comprehensive school safety plan relevant to the needs and resources of a particular school, and exempts a small school district from this requirement if certain conditions are met. Existing law authorizes a school district or county office of education to elect to have the portions of the plan that include tactical responses to criminal incidents to be developed by the administrators of the school district or county office of education in consultation with law enforcement officials. This bill would require the comprehensive school safety plan to be aligned with the school climate state priority and the local control and accountability plan. The bill would add to the list of members on the school safety planning committee one or more individuals with expertise in the social-emotional health of children and youth, as specified. Existing law states that the Legislature encourages all comprehensive school safety plans, to the extent that resources are available, to include specified guidelines relating to the roles and responsibilities of various professionals, and encourages the guidelines developed to include specified strategies and prioritize certain services and programs. This bill would add community schools among the priorities. The bill would require the State Department of Education to post certain information relating to best practices for community school models, restorative justice programs, and certain other programs on its Internet Web site and to provide technical assistance and professional development to educators and administrators. By imposing new duties on school districts and county offices of education, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.