ST. PAUL – On March 29, Minnesota House Republicans highlighted a comprehensive plan designed to prioritize student safety.
State Representative Jason Rarick (R-Pine City) says he supports the idea.
“Student safety has become a top priority in the legislature due to recent events, and its why we are heavily focused on it here at the Capitol,” Rarick said.
Rarick said the approach includes more resources to meet the needs of students and schools statewide which includes everything from hiring more school resource officers, student counselors and mental health professionals to making critical building security upgrades.
The proposals making headway in the House that 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.
“The bottom line is we want to let school districts decide how to best ensure the protection of our students,” Rarick concluded.