Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that requires new training guidelines and procedures for School Resource Officers.

Highlights:

• Requires the Attorney General to provide School Safety Training Grants to public, charter schools, and schools operated by county boards of developmental disabilities administering  special education services (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $12 million to School Safety Training Grants for fiscal year 2019 (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $2 million to the School Climate Grants (Sec. 5).

• Requires the School Climate Grants to be used to provide competitive grants to eligible applicants to implement positive behavior intervention and supports frameworks, evidence-or research-based social and emotional learning initiatives, or both, in eligible school buildings (Sec. 5).

• Prohibits school districts or schools from suspending or expelling a student in grades pre-kindergarten through three, except for the following cases (Sec. 1).

• The student brings a firearm or a knife that can cause serious bodily harm;

• The student commits a criminal act;

• The student threatens to bomb the school; or

• For the safety of the other students.

• Requires the principal to consult with a mental health professional under contract with the district or school prior to suspending or expelling a student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through 3 (Sec. 1).

• Requires the principle or the district’s mental health professional to assist the student’s parent or guardian with locating providers or obtaining services for any mental health problems it is found that the student has, so long as it doesn’t put any financial burden on the school district (Sec. 1)

• Requires each institution that provides a teacher preparation program to include a semester course, or equivalent, for all students pursuing a license to teach in any grades pre-kindergarten through 5 that includes instruction on all of the following (Sec. 1):

• Positive behavior intervention and supports and social-emotional development;

• Classroom systems for establishing the foundation for positive behavior;

• Classroom systems for responding to unwanted behavior;

• Classroom data collection systems;

• Effective instructional strategies and how to implement them with fidelity;

• Matching curriculum to student needs and data; and

• The impact of trauma, toxic stress, and other environmental variables on learning behavior.

• Requires school districts to provide professional development or continuing education in positive behavior intervention and supports any of the district’s teachers who teach in building that serve students in grades pre-kindergarten through 3 and who completed a teacher preparation program prior to the effective date of this section and all of the district’s administrators who serve students in grades pre-kindergarten through 3 who have not already completed a course of instruction, professional development, or continuing education in positive behavior intervention and supports.   

• Requires a school resource officer who provides services to a school district or school to complete a basic training program approved by the Ohio peace officer training commission and complete at least 40 hours of school resource officer training within one year after appointment to provide those services through the following (Sec. 1):

• The National Association of School Resource Officers;

• The Ohio School Resource Officer Association; or

• A peace officer certified to conduct a course that satisfies the conditions to become a school resource officer.

• Exempts school resource officers who are appointed to provide services to a school district or school prior to the effective date of this section from complying with the training requirements (Sec. 1).  

• Requires the training program to provide instructions regarding the skills, tactics and strategies necessary to address the nature of all of the following (Sec. 1):

• School Campuses;

• School building security needs and characteristics;

• Law enforcement functions conducted inside a school environment;

• The mechanics of being a positive role model;

• Providing assistance on topics such as classroom managements tools to provide law-related education to students and methods for managing the behaviors associated with educating children with special needs;

• Mechanics of the laws regarding compulsory attendance; and

• Identifying trends in drug use, eliminating the instance of drug use, and encouraging a drug-free environment in schools.

• Requires the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission to develop and conduct a basic school resource officer training course that satisfies the training requirements and to adopt rules that will provide certified school resource officer training (Sec. 1).

• Requires the school district and the appropriate law enforcement agency to enter into a memorandum of understanding that clarifies the purpose of the school resource officer program and roles and expectations between the participating entities (Sec. 1).

• Requires the memorandum to provide an understanding of each of the items (Sec. 1):

• Clearly defined set of goals for the school resource officer program;

• Background requirements or suggested expertise for employing law enforcement in the school setting;

• Professional development, including training requirements that focus on age-appropriate practices for conflict resolution and developmentally informed de-escalation and crisis intervention methods;

• Clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and expectations of the parties involved;

• Protocol for how suspected criminal activity versus school discipline is to be handled;

• The requirement for coordinated crisis planning and updating of school crisis plans;

• Any other discretionary items.

• Requires the school district to post on the district’s website, or other location where the district is required to make documents available to the public, any memorandum of understanding between the school district and law enforcement agency (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes school districts to give students the opportunity to provide input during the drafting process of any memorandum of understanding entered into between the school district and law enforcement (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes school resource officers to work in one or more school districts or schools providing assistance with the adoption, implementation, and amendment of the comprehensive emergency management plan and carrying out any additional responsibilities, which can include (Sec. 1):

• Providing a safe learning environment;

• Providing valuable resources to school staff members;

• Fostering positive relationships between students and staff; and

• Developing strategies to resolve problems affecting the students and to protect all students.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires new training guidelines and procedures for School Resource Officers.

Highlights:

• Requires a school resource officer who provides services to a school district or school to complete a basic training program approved by the Ohio peace officer training commission and complete at least 40 hours of school resource officer training within one year after appointment to provide those services through either the National Association of School Resource Officers or the Ohio School Resource Officer Association (Sec. 1).

• Appropriates $10 million for fiscal year 2019 for the purposes of School Safety Training Grants (Sec. 2).

• Exempts school resource officers who are appointed to provide services to a school district or school prior to the effective date of this section from complying with the training requirements (Sec. 1).  

• Requires the training program to provide instructions regarding the skills, tactics and strategies necessary to address the nature of all of the following (Sec. 1):

• School Campuses;

• School building security needs and characteristics;

• Law enforcement functions conducted inside a school environment;

• The mechanics of being a positive role model;

• Providing assistance on topics such as classroom managements tools to provide law-related education to students and methods for managing the behaviors associated with educating children with special needs;

• Mechanics of the laws regarding compulsory attendance; and

• Identifying trends in drug use, eliminating the instance of drug use, and encouraging a drug-free environment in schools.

• Requires the school district and the appropriate law enforcement agency to enter into a memorandum of understanding that clarifies the purpose of the school resource officer program and roles and expectations between the participating entities (Sec. 1).

• Requires the memorandum to provide an understanding of each of the items (Sec. 1):

• Clearly defined set of goals for the school resource officer program;

• Background requirements or suggested expertise for employing law enforcement in the school setting;

• Professional development, including training requirements that focus on age-appropriate practices for conflict resolution and developmentally informed de-escalation and crisis intervention methods;

• Clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and expectations of the parties involved;

• Protocol for how suspected criminal activity versus school discipline is to be handled;

• The requirement for coordinated crisis planning and updating of school crisis plans;

• Any other discretionary items.

• Requires the school district to post on the district’s website, or other location where the district is required to make documents available to the public, any memorandum of understanding between the school district and law enforcement agency (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes school districts to give students the opportunity to provide input during the drafting process of any memorandum of understanding entered into between the school district and law enforcement (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes school resource officers to work in one or more school districts or schools providing assistance with the adoption, implementation, and amendment of the comprehensive emergency management plan and carrying out any additional responsibilities, which can include (Sec. 1):

• Providing a safe learning environment;

• Providing valuable resources to school staff members;

• Fostering positive relationships between students and staff; and

• Developing strategies to resolve problems affecting the students and to protect all students.

Full Bill Text