The Three R’s of School Safety
VOLUME 13, NUMBER 1.
On the cover
Despite highly publicized incidents such as school shootings, schools remain the safest place for our children to be. In fact, National Crime Victimization Survey data show that violent crimes are much more likely to occur at a student’s home or at another residence than they are at school. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention back this up: Between 1992 and 2000, less than 1 percent of the homicides of school-age children happened at school. The National Center for Education Statistics, meanwhile, reports that serious violent crime in public schools declined substantially from 1995 to 2003. And yet, these statistics do little to overcome the effect of school shootings, such as those at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech, on public perception. In this issue we explore the many ways that schools, districts, states, the federal government, and emergency response agencies across the Northwest are working to keep our schools safe.
Photo by Kat Nyberg
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In this issue of Northwest Education you will find programs such as Oregon’s Mid-Valley Student Threat Assessment program, and others that began as district- or county-level responses to the traumatic events of the late 1990s. We also profile countywide emergency response planning, school-based support programs, and the aftermath of a racially based incident that could well have resulted in violence, but didn’t. The perspective of students involved in that incident is one example of a positive, encouraging vein in what can be a disquieting subject to explore.
Features
At the Crossroads in Pocatello
An Idaho district uses school-based supports to address growth-related problems and the murder of a high school student.
Counteracting School Violence Through Positive Behavior Supports
Prominent researcher Jeff Sprague talks about the lessons learned from decades of student behavior analysis
Bridging Barriers Keeping Schools Safe Through Threat Assessment Technology, Collaboration, and an All-Hazards Safety Plan Mapping the Future of Emergency Response The Best Plan for the Worst-Case Scenarios Departments Research Brief Region at a Glance Voices NWREL News New Series Targets Strategies for Safer Schools
Students work to defuse racial tensions and cultural divides following disruptive behavior at a state basketball tournament.
Joyce Harris, director of the Region X Equity Center, weighs in on racial harassment in schools and offers resources to help educators comply with federal law.
A coordinated threat assessment system keeps schools safe while getting troubled students the help they need.
School safety expert Joe Madsen explains why safety depends on more than just acquiring technological tools.
Washington’s statewide school mapping project makes critical information readily available.
A countywide collaboration leads to groundbreaking emergency preparedness planning.
Craig Apperson, director of the Washington State School Safety Center, discusses new legislative demands on educators for ensuring safe schools. Promoting Positive Behavior in an Oregon High School
Sutherlin High finds success in teaching positive behavior skills through small group sessions and mentoring.
The Case for Threat Assessment
Safety Problems and Safety Practices
How My School Year Started What the Research Says (or Doesn’t Say)
Studies weigh the effectiveness of in- and out-of-school suspension practices.