Ohio passed legislation to improve school climate and safety, increase student social emotional supports and reduce suspensions in pre-k – 3rd grade. House Bill 318 (132nd GA) includes guidelines and standards for school resource officers (SROs) to better clarify the SRO role and ensure SROs have an understanding of child and adolescent development, as well as training in age-appropriate practices for conflict resolution and de-escalation. The SAFE Act (“Supporting Alternatives for Education” formerly SB 246) is also included in HB 318, which seeks to reduce the removal of young students from school for disciplinary reasons and instead address the contributing causes for challenging classroom behavior. The SAFE Act includes professional development for teachers and will be phased in over three years. HB 318 became effective July 9, 2018 and includes a $14 million appropriation. The Schubert Center played an active role in informing the process through interested party sessions, providing research and offering testimony to help to ensure a developmentally-informed approach was adopted in these policies. To read more about the Schubert Center’s efforts, visit our policy to action page.
Article Date
July 19, 2018