Hello from St. Paul,
On Thursday, Minnesota House leadership highlighted a comprehensive plan designed to prioritize student safety.
The multifaceted approach includes more resources to meet the needs of students and schools statewide. This includes everything from hiring more school resource officers, student counselors and mental health professionals to making critical building security upgrades.
The following solutions are currently advancing through the public committee process and will be included in the larger proposal:
- School resources officers, student support personnel, and other school security programs funded through increased Safe Schools revenue, including a minimum level of funding for small schools.
- School building security upgrades, and expanded use of Long-Term Facility Maintenance revenue for security projects, including emergency communications systems.
- School-linked mental health programing to ensure better outcomes for all kids.
- Physical security audit grants to provide state assistance to review facility security and crisis management policies.
- Suicide prevention training for teachers to help educators learn how to engage and assist students experiencing mental distress.
- School-based threat assessment teams established to assess, intervene, and report threats facing students, teachers, and staff.
I sense lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle want to make something happen this session. I’m hopeful we will debate this plan on the House floor in the very near future.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend,
Nolan