NEWTOWN, Conn. – Educators across the nation could receive new levels of support for school safety efforts following the recent reintroduction of the Preparing Leaders to Assess Needs (PLAN) for School Safety Act (H.R. 2577) in the House of Representatives.
Led by Reps. John Rutherford (R-FL) and Joe Neguse (D-CO) and co-led by Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Lou Correa (D-CA), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT), the PLAN for School Safety Act will provide schools with essential safety planning resources. The bill will achieve this by strengthening state-based expert centers, establishing a vital link between district administrators, communities, and state-based professionals. When all of these entities are directly connected, schools will have greater access to much-needed resources and expertise.
The purpose of this bill is to equip educators with more tools and expert knowledge on how to protect children from school shootings and other acts of violence. The need for these connections could not be greater. Last year saw the second-highest number of shooting incidents in schools throughout our nation (330 incidents), according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. The year prior was the highest on record (349 incidents).
“We applaud Reps. Rutherford and Neguse for leading this bipartisan work to support educators and protect children through the PLAN for School Safety Act. This is a sensible and necessary step to address some of the gaps that exist today in school safety planning. There are many proactive ways that schools can prevent violence, self-harm, and suicide, but access to these proven solutions is crucial. The PLAN Act provides that bridge and will ultimately lead to much more effective planning to keep schools safe from school shootings and other acts of violence,” said Mark Barden, co-founder and co-CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
“Every child has a right to feel safe at school,” said Rep. John Rutherford. “While I am proud of the significant federal resources Congress has made available for schools to help improve security measures across the nation, many of our schools are still struggling to find, apply, and use these important resources. That’s why I introduced the PLAN for School Safety Act with Rep. Neguse to help connect subject matter experts with school leaders to better facilitate participation in school safety programs and grants. As a former sheriff and lifelong member of law enforcement, I know firsthand that we must invest in security to prevent violence before it ever happens.”
“In Colorado, far too many of our community members have lost a loved one to the tragic scourge of gun violence in this country,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “To better protect our students and their schools, I am proud to join a bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing the PLAN Act—a commonsense step to implement solutions proven to keep our kids safe.”
“Few districts have the capacity to have an external evaluation conducted of their school safety plan for each building in the district,” said Sasha Pudelski, director of advocacy for AASA, The School Superintendents Association. “The PLAN for School Safety Act empowers State School Safety Centers to review district safety plans and offer advice on what the district should prioritize and any evidence-based practices the district should adopt. Instead of being bombarded by companies and vendors with offers of how they can ‘buy their way’ to improved school safety, district leaders would have a trusted, unbiased, free source that could evaluate the security of their campuses and suggest evidence-based improvements.”
“National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is proud to join forces with Sandy Hook Promise in advocating for the PLAN for School Safety Act, a transformative initiative that will empower schools to prevent violence and foster safe environments,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. “We extend our deepest gratitude to Congressman Rutherford and all the sponsors of this legislation for listening to school and student leaders and prioritizing their voices in crafting solutions that make schools safer.”
“The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recognizes the value of customized school safety and mental health plans and is proud to support the reintroduction of the PLAN for School Safety Act, which will provide schools and communities with the resources needed to implement and sustain such strategies,” said Peter Faustino, President of NASP. “School psychologists play a vital, life-saving role in school safety and crisis response efforts, and we recognize the necessity of continued training and technical assistance to ensure effective, evidence-based practices. The centers established through this legislation will help schools protect our children and foster safe learning environments.”
Since its founding, Sandy Hook Promise has been a leader in helping to write and pass bipartisan legislation that protects children and saves lives. Additionally, the organization’s evidence-informed Know the Signs programs have led to the prevention of at least 18 credible planned school shooting attacks and countless other acts of violence and self-harm. The PLAN for School Safety Act, if passed, will be another successful milestone in Sandy Hook Promise’s mission to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence — and ensure budget is not a barrier to school safety.
If you’d like to show your support for the school safety solutions that will be established through this new bill, let your Congresspeople know by signing your name. To learn more about violence prevention programs that you can bring to your school or community, often at no cost, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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The Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund (SHPAF) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization committed to protecting all children from gun violence in schools, homes, and communities. The SHP Action Fund advances a holistic policy platform that promotes gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education. The organization works at the state and federal level to pass nonpartisan legislation through inclusive partnerships, diverse grassroots education, and community mobilization. It is part of Sandy Hook Promise, founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
Media Contact:
Aimee Thunberg | [email protected] | 646-761-5579