Colorado Safer Schools Initiative Identifies Opportunities in State & Local Systems
Drawing on the input of the largest statewide stakeholder coalition focused on school safety, the Spring 2024 report of the Colorado Safer Schools Initiative (CSSI) offers actions that can be taken by state and local officials in several key areas that affect student and educator safety. The report also identifies opportunities for school and community based partnerships, potential piloting or scaling of programs and field studies to further inform a comprehensive approach to school safety.
CSSI was formed in 2023 by Confluence Policy and Strategy Group (Confluence PSG) and the Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC) in response to an overwhelming interest among educators, education leaders, families, mental health experts, law enforcement and state officials to explore and make recommendations for addressing system level actions to improve school safety. Launched in May of 2023 with a steering committee of community and system leaders, educators and experts from across the state and a first statewide meeting that drew more than fifty stakeholders, CSSI has expanded to include more than 250 individuals and organizations from across the state. The membership represents a broad diversity of professional and lived experiences, ideological and geographic perspectives.
“From the moment we first imagined convening this group, we knew there were no one-size solutions, but we also knew there were plenty of common threads and common challenges school communities face in addressing school safety,” said PEBC CEO & President, Sue Sava. “Our goal has been to provide an opportunity for sharing, for learning and for bold thinking of how to keep our students and educators safe.”
CSSI’s work is ongoing and to date, has only explored a portion of the issues that influence the safety and well-being of school communities. Informed by the discussions among more than 250 stakeholders over the past year, the Safer Schools & School Communities highlights opportunities for action at the state and local levels to improve school safety in several key areas CSSI members have examined and discussed. These areas include:
- The use of Trauma Informed Practices (TIPs) in school safety incidents and drills;
- The importance of TIPs in the work of School Resource Officers (SROs);
- The advantages of Co-Responder Models for school incidents or disturbances;
- The value of school partnerships with their local communities;
- The importance of student voice in school safety and other system change discussions.
“I wish every state had the power and commitment of the amazing individuals who have generously given their time to CSSI this past year. From behavioral health and security experts to educators, nurses, legislators, principals and superintendents, this has been one of the most diverse, passionate and engaged groups I’ve seen,” said Confluence PSG President, Berrick Abramson. “This report offers actionable steps that can be taken by school and school system leaders, state officials, educators and community leaders. It also highlights the critical role of student voice.”
With regularly scheduled meetings open to anyone with an interest in school safety, CSSI will continue to explore the broad range of topics identified during its formation and by members in its first year. Among the future topics to be discussed are issues relating to bullying and isolation, early threat identification, the role of press, politics and social media and out of school situations that often spill over into school communities. In the year ahead, CSSI’s members and convenors will also support members, educators and school leaders implementing or acting on the recommendations in the report.
More information about the Colorado Safer Schools Initiative is available at www.SaferSchoolsInitiative.org/Colorado
About Confluence PSG: Confluence PSG partners with government and private sector leaders to support policy and system change. Drawing on expertise in the public and private sectors, Confluence helps identify the specific issue and mechanism of change, scope of action needed, associated challenges and the affected or involved stakeholders. Confluence teams work with clients to design and manage comprehensive collaborative processes to develop solutions with maximum buy-in and high likelihood for success. The Center for Education and Workforce Policy at PSG is working at the forefront of efforts to expand access to quality education, improve student outcomes, reimagine how instruction is delivered, align post-secondary and job-training opportunities with tomorrow’s workforce needs and plan for the challenges of an evolving global economy. Learn more at www.confluencepsg.com and www.centerforedpolicy.org
About PEBC: PEBC strives to create schools and systems worthy of our children. Founded in Denver over four decades ago, PEBC represents a convergence of stakeholders determined to uplift learning opportunities for each and every student. Today, PEBC collaborates with teachers, schools and districts nationwide, catalyzing high quality instruction. PEBC’s origins date back to 1983 and the release of the Nation at Risk report by The National Commission on Excellence in Education. The Commission, and PEBC, believed that the public education system was failing to meet the national need for a competitive workforce. With funding from the Ford Foundation, several communities created local education funds to concentrate efforts on quality teaching initiatives at PEBC. PEBC’s team now works in 26 states to ensure that educators are worthy of the students they serve. Learn more at www.pebc.org
