Resource

Features From the Field - July 2022

Features from the Field is a monthly series of resources compiled by NDTAC in partnership with The Department of Education on topics relevant to Title I, Part D State coordinators. This month's resources focus on the role of School Resource Officers in schools. These resources focus on the issues surrounding school policing programs and School Resource Officers and offer thoughts and recommendations to improve outcomes for those students who may be impacted by contact with law enforcement.

 

School Policing Programs, Where We Have Been and Where We Need To Go Next

Link: https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/301592.pdf

Resource Type: Reports & Briefs

Topics: Safety, School Discipline Policies

Resource Date: February 2022

Summary: Commissioned by the National Institute of Justice, this systematic review of the role of police in the school setting determines that there is little evidence linking school-based law enforcement to an increase in school safety and growing evidence pointing to potential negative associations between law enforcement presence and increased crime and discipline outcomes. The review identified some positive associations for school police including positive effects on students’ perception of safety in schools, although this finding is inconsistent. Given the prevalence of school resource officer programs across the country, the authors stress the importance of implementing best practices to ensure such programs benefit the school environment. The report offers five recommendations to improve school policing: including funding for research on SROs, emphasizing the selection of SROs, providing thorough environment-specific training to school officers, carefully designing SRO programs., and implementing a consistent set of implementation characteristics for operating school policing programs.

 

The Important of Working with School Resource Officers

Link: https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/media/video/13051

Resource Type: Webinar

Topics: Safety, School Discipline Policies

Resource Date: February 2021

Summary: The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention held a webinar on February 2, 2021, which provided an overview of the role of School Resource Officers. During the discussion, the speakers discussed the increasing importance of working relationships between prosecutors, superintendents, and SROs to effectively promote delinquency prevention and foster safer schools. The webinar features SROs who discussed examples of policy agreements that provide participants with guidance and best practices for SROs within the school setting. Additionally, SROs shared their experience and use of restorative practices and response to disciplinary action cases in schools.

 

School Resource Officers, School Law Enforcement Units, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Link: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/resources/school-resource-officers-school-law-enforcement-units-and-ferpa

Resource Type: Toolkit

Topics: Safety, School Discipline Policies

Resource Date: updated February 2019

Summary: This resource, developed by the U.S. Department of Education Privacy Technical Assistance Center provides answers for frequently asked questions regarding the intersection of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and communications with law enforcement. The resource covers both law enforcement units composed of school employees that report violations of the law to local law enforcement agencies and school resource officer programs. The resource addresses several related topics, including: whether law enforcement teams must only consist of schools staff, whether SROs are considered school officials, the extent to which schools can provide law enforcement officials with discretionary information, and how FERPA distinguishes between SROs and other local police who work in a school.

Resource Type

Features from the Field

Topics

Safe & Supportive Learning Environments

Resource Date