Report 2016-136 Recommendation 9 Responses

Report 2016-136: School Violence Prevention: School Districts, County Offices of Education, and the State Must Do More to Ensure That School Safety Plans Help Protect Students and Staff During Emergencies (Release Date: August 2017)

Recommendation #9 To: Justice, Department of

To ensure that districts, county offices, and schools receive guidance on a variety of safety issues and to comply with state law, CDE and DOJ should resume their partnership activities, as required by state law. Further, the partnership should update the 2002 handbook, "Safe Schools: A Planning Guide for Action," and distribute it to all districts and county offices. If CDE or DOJ determine the need for additional funds to implement the legislative recommendations or to reestablish the partnership's activities, they should request those funds from the Legislature.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From August 2021

DOJ continues to collaborate with the CDE, schools, first responders, and law enforcement agencies on school safety, particularly by sharing expertise on active shooter threats and other forms of violence prevention. This process previously involved DOJ participating in in-person meetings convened by CDE. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, DOJ discontinued its in-person meetings but remains committed to ensuring the safety of California's schoolchildren and continues to confer with appropriate entities on school violence prevention.

DOJ's collaboration with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) has resulted in the release of an updated guide, 2021 Educator's Guide to Comprehensive School Safety Plans. The handbook assists educators in developing school safety plans, and provides tools and resources to address the corrosive effects of school violence, cyberbullying, internet crimes, child trafficking, child exploitation, hate crimes, and more. CDE has informed the school communities that the handbook is available electronically from LACOE for a nominal charge.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

DOJ provided evidence that it has resumed their partnership to Education to ensure schools receive guidance on safety issues, including various meetings held from 2020 through 2021. DOJ and Education also updated the Comprehensive School Safety Guide in 2021.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020

The DOJ continues to collaborate with the CDE, schools, first responders, and law enforcement agencies on school safety, particularly by sharing available expertise on active shooter threat and violence prevention. In the past, the DOJ has participated in meetings convened by the CDE as part of this process. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DOJ has followed protocol and discontinued in-person meetings. However, the DOJ remains committed to ensuring the safety of all school children in California and continues to confer with appropriate entities regarding school violence prevention. Through this collaboration, and with the Los Angeles County Office of Education, efforts are underway for an updated handbook, the Guide to Comprehensive School Safety Plans. This updated handbook integrates guidance to prevent various incidents that target our vulnerable children today.

The handbook will assist in developing school safety plans, and provide available resources to address the corrosive effects of school violence, cyberbullying, internet crimes, child trafficking, child exploitation, hate crimes, and more.

Furthermore, this handbook and the safeguards outlined within are adaptable. Other institutions such as religious organizations and their schools, private schools, charter schools, and other civic institutions may find it beneficial to adopt the safeguards detailed in this handbook to secure their various meetings and physical locations such as parks, festivals, fairs, concerts, conferences, and other gatherings.

Once the updated handbook is available, this recommendation will be fully implemented. The DOJ looks forward to continuing our partnerships with our local communities to build and protect safe learning environments for our children.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2020

DOJ continues to collaborate with the CDE, schools, first responders, and law enforcement agencies on school safety, particularly by sharing expertise on active shooter threat and violence prevention. In the past, DOJ has participated in meetings convened by CDE as part of this process. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, DOJ has followed protocol and discontinued in-person meetings. However, DOJ has remained committed to ensuring the safety of California's school children and continues to confer with appropriate entities on school violence prevention. Through this collaboration with the Los Angeles County Office of Education, efforts are underway for an updated handbook, the Guide to Comprehensive School Safety Plans. This updated handbook integrates guidance to prevent various incidents that target our vulnerable children today.

The handbook will assist in developing school safety plans, and provide available resources to address corrosive effects of school violence, cyberbullying, internet crimes, child trafficking, child exploitation, hate crimes, and more.

Furthermore, this handbook and the safeguards outlined within are adaptable. Other institutions such as religious organizations and their schools, private schools, charter schools, and other civic institutions may find it beneficial to adopt the safeguards detailed in this handbook to secure their various meetings and physical locations such as parks, festivals, fairs, concerts, conferences, and other gatherings.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2019

Ongoing DOJ-CDE Collaboration

While formal efforts through the Committee have not resumed, DOJ continues to collaborate with the CDE on school safety, particularly by sharing expertise on active shooter threat and violence prevention. For example, DOJ participated in the following collaborative efforts with CDE:

-March 11, 2019 - Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools; education communities received training on Developing Emergency Operations Plans (K-12 101 Training).

-May 31, 2019 -Federal Bureau of Investigations school safety symposium; law enforcement and partners reminded education communities reminded of the lessons learned from the Columbine and other active shooter incidents nationwide.

Safe Schools Handbook

Since publication of the 2002 Safe Schools handbook, school safety dynamics have changed dramatically. The DOJ lacks dedicated resources to facilitate collection of ongoing school safety data. With the loss of SLEP due to significant general fund budget reductions, DOJ was forced to eliminate critical positions that supported agency-led efforts on preventing crime and maintaining public safety, including monitoring and informing on changes to school violence prevention and emerging best practices. When the Legislature provides additional resources, DOJ will cultivate expertise to provide technical and law enforcement assistance to CDE to update the Safe Schools handbook.

DOJ looks forward to continuing our partnerships with our local communities to build and protect safe learning environments for our children.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From August 2019

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to collaborate with the California Department of Education (CDE) to share its available expertise on active shooter threat and violence prevention. Since the last update, DOJ has participated in the following meetings and presentations:(1) October 30, 2018 - School Safety Advisory Committee meeting; discussions and presentations shared insights on crises management and critical decision making for education leaders, (2) March 11, 2019 - Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools; education communities received training on Developing Emergency Operations Plans (K-12 101 Training), and (3) May 31, 2019 - the Federal Bureau of Investigations sponsored a school safety symposium; education communities were reminded of the lessons learned from the Columbine shooting.

Since the 2002 publication of the handbook, Safe Schools; A Planning Guide for Action, school safety dynamics have changed dramatically. Unfortunately, DOJ has lacked dedicated resources to ensure that it collects ongoing school safety data. In FY 2008-09, as part of significant general fund budget reductions, DOJ was forced to eliminate $4.861 million and 35.5 positions from its Crime and Violence Prevention Center, which supported multiple agency-led efforts on preventing crime and maintaining public safety, including monitoring and informing divisions on changes to school violence prevention and emerging best practices. As resources are made available, DOJ will acquire expertise to provide technical and law enforcement assistance to CDE to update the School Safety handbook.

DOJ will continue to partner with these local communities to ensure a safe learning environment for our children.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

1-Year Agency Response

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) participated in the May 17, 2018 California State Superintendent of Public Instruction's School and Community Safety Ad Hoc Advisory Committee meeting held at the California Department of Education (CDE) in Sacramento. DOJ representatives were presented as new members of the Safety Committee. DOJ staff discussed DOJ's role and responsibilities, the School Violence Prevention audit and the need to update valuable prevention materials. In addition, the California Attorney General has issued several press releases regarding School Violence Prevention.

DOJ understands that the CDE is exploring resources and publication options to update the 2002 handbook, Safe Schools; A Planning Guide for Action. CDE will involve DOJ to update this handbook.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

The Superintendent of Public Instruction has formed a Statewide School and Community Safety Advisory Committee.

DOJ will be participating in the committee. In addition to DOJ's law enforcement/community efforts, the committee is comprised of CDE Staff, educators, diverse superintendent and administrator organizations, representatives from State Parent Teacher Association, California School Employee Association, California School Board Association, mental health subject matter experts; Governor's Office of Emergency Services; community college safety coordinators; county offices of education; fire and law enforcement first responders; state, county, and local governmental and non-governmental entities; recreation and parks representatives; and others.

The committee will identify gaps and issues in school safety plans, identify and share effective practices that leads to enhanced relationships and networks between and among K-12 educators including superintendents, administrators, teachers, school nurses, counselors and mental health specialists, and classified staff.

The committee efforts will strengthen existing activities and identify new methods so that the school districts/boards, county offices of education, and school site personnel receive guidance in the development of their respective school safety and crisis response plans to ensure students and staff are kept safe in the event of an emergency involving active shooter incidents.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

The DOJ has contacted CDE to discuss the history of the program and any associated resources. Unfortunately, there are no current resources available for the program at CDE or DOJ. Given this, CDE and DOJ are discussing the State Auditor's recommendation and how to move forward.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2016-136

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.