School Safety and Security Audits: What Does the Law Require School Safety and Security Audits: What Does the Law Require? Presented by Catherine Toohey and John Bremer and Both

What is the district’s responsibility to be in compliance with TEC § 37.108 (SB 11) The district is responsible for the implementation of a security audit as required by Subsection (b). At least once every three years, a school district shall conduct a security audit of the district's facilities. To the extent possible, a district shall follow security audit procedures developed by the Texas School Safety Center or a comparable public or private entity. A school district shall report the results of the security audit conducted under Subsection (b) to the district's board of trustees. Catherine and John

The Texas School Safety Center  The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) was created in 1999 by then Governor George Bush and authorized by the 77th Texas Legislature in 2001 to serve as a central location in Texas for school safety information, and to provide schools with information including research, training, and technical assistance to reduce youth violence and promote safety in the State. Catherine

What does the Texas School Safety Center do? § 37.207. MODEL SAFETY AND SECURITY AUDIT PROCEDURE. The center shall develop a model safety and security audit procedure for use by school districts that includes: (1) providing each district with guidelines showing proper audit procedures; (2) reviewing each district audit, providing the results of the review to the district, and making recommendations for improvements based on the audit; and (3) incorporating the findings of district audits in a statewide report on school safety made available by the center to the public. Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 923, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Catherine

THE TEXAS HOMELAND SECURITY STRATEGIC PLAN: 2005-2010 4. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2.4: ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF SCHOOLS IN TEXAS. The Texas School Safety Center will: 2.4.1. Provide schools with a web-based tool to conduct vulnerability self-assessments and meet security audit requirements. 2.4.2. Provide schools with a web-based emergency operations planning tool to develop school safety and emergency response plans. 2.4.3. Develop a train-the-trainer program to educate school officials on homeland security-related school safety. 2.4.4. Ensure schools participate in drills and all-hazards exercises. Catherine

What does the Center for Safe and Secure Schools do? The Center provides services to school districts in the Houston area as the district’s liaison to emergency management agencies and specifically in coordinating hurricane evacuation and refuge operations. The Center provides training in safety, security and emergency management targeted to the school administrator, both central office and campus based. The Center will provide audits, staff training, table top and functional exercises and consulting on specific needs to school districts or ESCs. John

What the Center for Safe and Secure Schools Brings The Center for Safe and Secure Schools develops consensus standards based on advice from school districts; federal, state, and local law enforcement and emergency response agencies; non-governmental agencies; universities and medical schools; industry and business. Since 1999 the Center has done in safety and security reviews in the largest to some of the smallest school districts in Texas as well as in private schools. The Center currently has projects in seven educational service centers and over twenty school districts. John

Purpose of a Safety and Security Audit The purpose of the audit is to work with schools to identify safety and security practices, policies and needs on a campus and to make recommendations to help the school create the safest environment possible for students. Catherine

Components of the Audit Process Safety and Security of Site and Building Exterior Access Control Safety and Security of Building Interior Type and Extent of Monitoring and Surveillance Development and Enforcement of Policies Development of Intervention and Prevention Plans Level of Staff Development Opportunities for Student Involvement Level of Parent and Community Involvement Role of Law Enforcement Crisis Communication Development of Emergency Operations Plans School Climate and Culture Catherine

Access Control Intruder Evaluation Non-scheduled Document date and time Were exterior doors locked? Was main entrance monitored by staff? Are visitors asked for photo ID? Did staff or students confront the intruder? Were all students supervised by staff? John

Access Control

On-Site Visit Scheduled visit to gather data Begins with entrance conference During the visit, team members should follow checklists to ensure that all components of the audit are addressed. John

Entrance Conference The audit team should meet with staff that represent a cross-section of school personnel. This group might include: An administrator A teacher A school law enforcement officer A food service or custodial staff member Any other members the campus selects John

Surveys or Interviews Surveys or interviews may be utilized to gather data about real (and perceived) school safety concerns from all stakeholders: Students Parents Teachers and staff Community John and Catherine

Assessment of School and Neighborhood Risk Factors Vandalism High Student Mobility Graffiti Gang Activity Crime Poverty Adjudicated students Trespassing Withdrawal of students (safety) Child abuse (home) Effective student-staff relationships High expectations for student learning John and Catherine

ATF Video from Bomb Threat CD

Walk-through of Site Grounds and Building Exterior Buses and Parking Play/Outdoor Recreation Areas BUILDING ACCESS John

Walk-through of Building Visibility Adequate lighting Ability to monitor students Access to classrooms controlled Access to hazards controlled Building in good repair John

School Climate and Culture Look for clues in signage Converse with staff and students if possible; ~listen carefully~ What types of student programs or activities are there? anger management peer mediation service learning mentoring, etc Catherine

Student Belonging Access to all programs and services by all students (low-achieving, disabled, minority) School spirit or pride Ownership of school by students and staff No one predominate social group Tolerance is emphasized or taught Catherine

School Climate Do teachers and students have a positive rapport? Do all staff feel responsible for all students? Are staff visible in halls during transitions? Are students monitored to prevent violence and bullying? Catherine

Do staff know how to spot trouble and how to respond? Catherine

Emergency Operations Plan Should be: Developed by the building safety team Law Enforcement should be part of this team Reviewed on an annual basis Have a well-coordinated safety plan with MOUs with law enforcement and other emergency response agencies Include detailed maps of facility Catherine

Evacuation Map John

Detailed Map for EOP Catherine and John

Emergency Operations Plan Safety Drills are in place and practiced regularly After-Action Reviews are held after drills, exercises, and actual emergencies. All staff are trained in the implementation of the EOP. John

Mandatory Drills Drills should be named and announced using plain language instead of code words in accordance with Incident Command Systems and NIMS NO MORE CODES! Drill should be taught to students before they are practiced including an explanation of why they are important John

Why no more codes? …SOPHOMORE ZACK BARNES, 16, SAID HIS FIRST INDICATION THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG AT HIS SCHOOL WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT OVER THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM. "WE WERE SITTING THERE IN MATH CLASS AND OVER THE INTERCOM THEY SAID 'STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WE HAVE A CODE WHITE. REPEAT, CODE WHITE. 'AND NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT A CODE WHITE WAS,“ HE SAID HIS TEACHER CHECKED A SHEET OF PAPER FROM HER DESK AND THEN SAID THE CLASS HAD TO MOVE. John

Recommended Drills Evacuation (proposed minimum) Building (one each month) Site Lock-down (three each year) Shelter-in-place Drop and cover (one each year) Reverse evacuation Catherine

Incident Command System Standard, on-scene, all-hazard incident management system based on best practices Integrated management structure Features Common terminology Organizational resources Manageable span of control Organizational facilities Position titles Incident Action Plan Integrated communications Accountability John

Review of Documents Visitor Procedures Visitor policy/procedure signs are posted and visible at all entrance doors. Access is limited to one main entry if possible. Visitors are required to sign in and show valid ID. Visitors are required to wear visible, dated identification. Catherine

Review of Documents Emergency Communication Plan Contact numbers for staff (home and cell) Updated regularly Student Code of Conduct Clear expectations Consistent consequences Taught to students Catherine

Review of Documents Discipline Data # of violent incidents # of expulsions or removals Consistent consequences for offenses Do these indicate a safety need on the campus? Catherine

What next? Principal will use results of audit to create an action-plan for addressing items of concern Action plan will address short-term plans for items that can be addressed through updated policy, practice or maintenance as well as items that require long-term planning John

Results Results reported to: School board Possibly to Texas School Safety Center State Report on School Safety John and Catherine

Deadline All districts must have their first round of audits completed by August 31st, 2008 Both

Resources Texas School Safety Center Texas State University- San Marcos Phone (512) 245.8082 Toll-free (877) 304-2727 www.cscs.txstate.edu/txssc.htm Curtis Clay, Director cc36@txstate.edu Catherine Toohey, ct21@txstate.edu Center for Safe and Secure Schools Harris County Department of Education – Houston Phone (713) 696-0770 Toll-free (866) 713-2343 www.safeandsecureschools.org/ Karl Boland, Director kboland@hcde-texas.org John Bremer jbremer@hcde-texas.org

Questions?