school-safety
Lawmakers beef up school safety grant fund to pay for masks, gloves in pandemic
A competitive grant program created in the wake of a deadly school shooting is set to receive a record-high windfall of state and federal aid this year, which lawmakers say will help schools confront a new kind of threat in the fall: the spread of COVID-19. A series of bills that state lawmakers advanced Thursday […]
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick meets with Parkland families, Trump on school safety measures
It’s been a little more than two years since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., that claimed the lives of 17 people. With years now rolling by, legislators and families are still pressing to find a consensus and solution to safer schools.
Bill restoring school police arrest powers headed to Wolf
A bill that will let school police officers in Pennsylvania resume making arrests is headed to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk, after securing final approval from the state Senate on Thursday. The chamber’s 39-14 vote reverses a mistake lawmakers made in June, when they approved a bill that inadvertently stripped school police officers of that authority. […]
After accidentally taking away school police officers’ arresting power, Pa. House committee advances bill to restore them
The legislation will now go to the full House for consideration.
Keeping students safe is a growth industry struggling to fulfill its mission | Opinion
Hardening school buildings distracts from the need to focus on human behavior and what's known about school shooters, and may make students less safe.
Pa. lawmakers accidentally took away school police officers’ ability to make arrests
Eighty districts across Pennsylvania employed a combined 617 school police officers during the 2017-18 school year, according to the most recent state data.
Pa.’s ‘Safe2Say’ program is really something to talk about | Opinion
Recently released data demonstrates program’s value as a comprehensive touchstone for reporting varying types of potential security issues.
A Pa. state senator got the green light to start a school safety nonprofit — but can’t mention his day job
Protect PA Schools will collect donations to help private and public schools get security upgrades, personnel, and consulting.
Pennsylvania set up a tip line for school threats. Instead, students overwhelmingly called with mental health concerns
While demand for mental health services outstrips access in Pennsylvania, state lawmakers in recent years haven’t increased spending.
With new tip line in place, lawmakers push schools to address reported threats
In the wake of the Parkland shooting, Pennsylvania's Legislature last year poured $60 million into school safety funding while also creating a statewide tip line to report threats of school violence.
After huge demand, state senator wants Pa. to budget $125 million for school safety grants
Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed funding two programs at $45 million and $10 million, respectively, in the state’s 2019-20 budget.
Armed school officers and security will get additional training under Senate bill
The devil is in the details, as a state Senate committee hearing demonstrated Tuesday.