Section 802 – State Safety and Support Program — State board duties — LEA duties.

• (1) There is created the State Safety and Support Program.

• (2) The state board shall:
  • (a) develop in conjunction with the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health model student safety and support policies for an LEA, including:
    • (i) evidence-based procedures for the assessment of and intervention with an individual whose behavior poses a threat to school safety;
    • (ii) procedures for referrals to law enforcement; and
    • (iii) procedures for referrals to a community services entity, a family support organization, or a health care provider for evaluation or treatment;
  • (b) provide training:
    • (i) in school safety;
    • (ii) in evidence-based approaches to improve school climate and address and correct bullying behavior;
    • (iii) in evidence-based approaches in identifying an individual who may pose a threat to the school community;
    • (iv) in evidence-based approaches in identifying an individual who may be showing signs or symptoms of mental illness;
    • (v) on permitted disclosures of student data to law enforcement and other support services under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g;
    • (vi) on permitted collection of student data under 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232h and Sections 53E-9-203 and 53E-9-305; and
    • (vii) for administrators on rights and prohibited acts under:
      • (A)Chapter 9, Part 6, Bullying and Hazing;
      • (B) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000d et seq.;
      • (C) Title IX of Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681 et seq.;
      • (D) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 701 et seq.; and
      • (E) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.;
  • (c) conduct and disseminate evidence-based research on school safety concerns;
  • (d) disseminate information on effective school safety initiatives;
  • (e) encourage partnerships between public and private sectors to promote school safety;
  • (f) provide technical assistance to an LEA in the development and implementation of school safety initiatives;
  • (g) in conjunction with the Department of Public Safety, develop and make available to an LEA a model critical incident response training program that includes protocols for conducting a threat assessment, and ensuring building security during an incident;
  • (h) provide space for the public safety liaison described in Section 53-1-106 and the school-based mental health specialist described in Section 62A-15-103;
  • (i) create a model school climate survey that may be used by an LEA to assess stakeholder perception of a school environment and, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, adopt rules:
    • (i) requiring an LEA to:
      • (A) create or adopt and disseminate a school climate survey; and
      • (B) disseminate the school climate survey;
    • (ii) recommending the distribution method, survey frequency, and sample size of the survey; and
    • (iii) specifying the areas of content for the school climate survey; and
  • (j) collect aggregate data and school climate survey results from each LEA.

• (3) Nothing in this section requires an individual to respond to a school climate survey.

• (4) The state board shall require an LEA to:
  • (a)
    • (i) review data from the state board-facilitated surveys containing school climate data for each school within the LEA; and
    • (ii) based on the review described in Subsection (4)(a)(i):
      • (A) revise practices, policies, and training to eliminate harassment and discrimination in each school within the LEA;
      • (B) adopt a plan for harassment- and discrimination-free learning; and
      • (C) host outreach events or assemblies to inform students and parents of the plan adopted under Subsection (4)(a)(ii)(B);
  • (b) no later than September 1 of each school year, send a notice to each student, parent, and LEA staff member stating the LEA’s commitment to maintaining a school climate that is free of harassment and discrimination; and
  • (c) report to the state board:
    • (i) no later than August 1, 2023, on the LEA’s plan adopted under Subsection (4)(a)(ii)(B); and
    • (ii) after August 1, 2023, annually on the LEA’s implementation of the plan and progress.

Amended by Chapter 399, 2022 General Session