This report discusses the outcomes of two studies that investigated the effectiveness of the Safe Schools Healthy Students Initiative (SS/HSI), a federal grant program designed to promote healthy childhood development and prevent violence and substance abuse. The first study, titled "Results of a Longitudinal Study of Disciplinary Referrals…

States and individual school districts are taking action to avoid hiring people with criminal records by requiring background checks for school employees. Advocates of more stringent measures propose more consistency and cooperation among states and a database of any indictments and convictions for child-abuse crimes. (MLF)

The purpose of Part 151 of the regulations of the New York Commissioner of Education is to carry out the legislative intent to provide financial assistance to school districts. This assistance is provided for the operation of experimental prekindergarten programs for children with educational needs associated with poverty. Section 2 of Part 151…

Lead poisoning from lead in paint, water, air, and dust and soil is a hazard to young people. School officials should survey all buildings for lead in drinking water, building paint, and art supplies and instructional materials. Federal assistance is available. Telephone numbers are listed. (MLF)

The Commissioner's annual report provides the Legislature with information reported by school districts concerning incidents of serious student misconduct grouped into the following four major reporting categories: violence, vandalism, weapons, and substance abuse. An analysis of trends yields indications of progress and of ongoing concern, and…

Initial studies of school choice in Massachusetts have concentrated on the mechanics of the program, but this report examines why parents choose school choice. A survey of Massachusetts families participating in school choice was completed by 826 families (return rate of 41.8%), representing 987 choice students, or about 23.5% of the estimated…

The methodologies, instruments, and procedures that were used by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) in conducting its part of the Safe School Study are described in detail. The report focuses on methods, the rationale for their selection, and their implementation. It also addresses various practical problems encountered. The sample design is…

Much of this brief comes from the ERIC Digest on Zero Tolerance Policies (ERIC #: ED451579). State legislatures and school boards are adopting a growing number of zero-tolerance polices toward weapons, guns, and violence. Zero-tolerance polices are rules intended to address specific school-safety issues. Despite the controversies that it has…

Presents an overview of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, a key federal program that provides funding directly to states and local educational agencies to facilitate drug and violence prevention programs. The Gun-Free Schools Act is also examined, and the major challenges communities face in correcting school safety problems are…

Reports on a collaborative project on school violence and safety conducted for a partnership that serves 13 school districts in two New York counties. Focus groups collected information on the schools from school stakeholders. Recommendations for more effective channels of communication with the entire educational community are included. Provides…

To provide effective education about AIDS and HIV, schools need to deal with issues of sexuality. The question is not whether, but rather, how to include issues related to homosexuality in school policy, instruction, and student services. This resource booklet has a checklist of factors for school staff to consider at the levels of individual…

The ordinary conduct of school business is accompanied today by risks that were rare or unknown a few decades ago. School administrators are continually being challenged to develop new strategies to safeguard their districts' assets. Risk management is a coordinated effort to protect an organization's assets, both human and financial, from all…

In poll after poll, parents, teachers and school staff say that school safety and order are their highest school priorities. Educators know that other efforts to improve schools will not be effective without an orderly and safe learning environment. Disorderly schools severely compromise opportunities to learn. Teachers cannot teach, children…

In the absence of immunity, courts have held schools and school personnel liable for personal injury by a student with a disability that resulted from negligent failure to provide a reasonable safe environment, failure to warn of known hazards, or failure to provide adequate supervision. Case law is presented to demonstrate the extent that school…

In this paper, the author analyzes the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities program and reveals the inherent flaws of what he calls "symbolic pork." The program is popular because it addresses subjects about which the public is deeply concerned: school safety and substance abuse. He notes that since 1986 the program has received…