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Unsafe School Choice Option

Unsafe School Choice Option. The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Advisory Committee Meeting 23 October 2006 Archived Information. USCO—the Policy. Section 9532 of NCLB

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Unsafe School Choice Option

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  1. Unsafe School Choice Option The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Advisory Committee Meeting 23 October 2006 Archived Information

  2. USCO—the Policy Section 9532 of NCLB Each State receiving funds under this Act shall establish and implement a statewide policy requiring that a student attending a persistently dangerous public elementary school or secondary school, as determined by the State, in consultation with a representative sample of local educational agencies,…

  3. USCO—the Policy …or who becomes a victim of a violent criminal offense, as determined by State law, while in or on the grounds of a public elementary school or secondary school that the student attends, be allowed to attend a safe public elementary school or secondary school within the local education agency, including a public charter school.

  4. USCO Determinations • 2003-04 School Year • 47 determinations • 5 States • 2004-05 School Year • 41 determinations • 4 States • 2005-06 School Year • 36 determination • 7 States

  5. ED Efforts • Non-Regulatory Guidance • Workshops and Meetings • Data Grants • Monitoring and Technical Assistance

  6. USCO Issues Non-Regulatory Guidance • Is non-regulatory • No basis to regulate • “states shall establish” • Is guidance • “Highlights some important aspects of USCO, and provides guidance on some provisions that may be useful in administering these requirements.”

  7. USCO Issues • Period of time • Many states have defined PDS as schools school that meet established criteria over a period of two or three years. • NRG strongly encourages States to define PDS based on a shorter period, specifically one school year. (B-5)7

  8. USCO Issues • Data • Collection • School safety data is often aggregated by county or district level not school level • Consistencies in coding/interpretation of data • Definitions of criminal actions may vary within a state • If using criminal data; may not be reflected in school collected data • Management of data • Definitions are not necessarily aligned with current data collections • NRG encourages states to use UMIRS data

  9. USCO Issues • Incidents used in determinations • Only Criminal offenses used by many • NRG (B-4) suggest objective data encompassing areas that students and parents would consider in determining a school’s level of safety, including violent offenses

  10. USCO Issues • Types of data that could be used: • Bringing a firearm to school • Results from student surveys about fights on schools grounds • Data on gang presence on school grounds

  11. USCO Issues • Labeling • Stigma • Economic implications

  12. USCO Issues • Financial Constraints • Financial support for a new data collection process • No allotment of funds to improve schools deemed “persistently dangerous” • Busing/transportation • Lack of transfer opportunity • Often there is no other school in the LEA to accept a transfer student

  13. USCO Issues • In cases of victimization, often the burden of transferring is on the victim rather than the perpetrator.

  14. Wide scope of state laws/regulations, data collection challenges, and financial constraints indicate that a model USCO policy would be difficult to offer • Perhaps more effective to offer a clear list of items for states to use in policy development

  15. Nomenclature • Persistently Dangerous School is pejorative • Watch List • To provide TA and support to schools with safety concerns • Training and TA for LEAs in collection of data and compliance

  16. Threshold or definition of what constitutes PDS • Clear indication of what data sources will be used and who is responsible for collection and interpretation

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