San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education
Board Policy 0450
Comprehensive Safety Plan
This Board Policy applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.
The Governing Board recognizes that students and staff have the right to a safe and secure campus where they are free from physical and psychological harm. The Board is fully committed to maximizing school safety and to creating a positive learning environment that includes strategies for violence prevention and high expectations for student conduct, responsible behavior, and respect for others.
(cf. 0410 – Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities)
(cf. 1312.3 – Uniform Complaint Procedures)
(cf. 3515 – Campus Security)
(cf. 3515.2 – Disruptions)
(cf. 3515.3 – District Police/Security Department)
(cf. 3515.7 – Firearms on School Grounds)
(cf. 5131 – Conduct)
(cf. 5131.2 – Bullying)
(cf. 5131.4 – Student Disturbances)
(cf. 5131.41 – Use of Seclusion and Restraint)
(cf. 5131.7 – Weapons and Dangerous Instruments)
(cf. 5136 – Gangs)
(cf. 5137 – Positive School Climate)
(cf. 5138 – Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation)
(cf. 5144 – Discipline)
(cf. 5144.1 – Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process)
(cf. 5144.2 – Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process (Students with Disabilities))
(cf. 5145.3 – Nondiscrimination/Harassment)
(cf. 5145.7 – Sexual Harassment)
(cf. 5145.9 – Hate-Motivated Behavior)
The District is responsible for the overall development of all comprehensive school safety plans. The school site council at each district school shall develop and review the comprehensive school safety plan to ensure that it is relevant to the needs and resources of that particular school. New school campuses shall develop a safety plan within one year of initiating operations. (Education Code 32281, 32286)
(cf. 0420 – School Plans/Site Councils)
(cf. 1220 – Citizen Advisory Committees)
The school safety plan shall take into account the school’s staffing, available resources, and building design, as well as other factors unique to the site.
The comprehensive safety plan(s) shall be reviewed and updated no later than March 1 of each year and forwarded to the Board for approval. (Education Code 32286, 32288)
The Board shall review the comprehensive safety plan(s) in order to ensure compliance with state law, Board policy, and administrative regulation and shall approve the plan(s) at a regularly scheduled meeting.
(cf. 0500 – Accountability)
(cf. 9320 – Meetings and Notices)
By October 15 of each year, the Superintendent or designee shall notify the California Department of Education of any schools that have not complied with the requirements of Education Code 32281. (Education Code 32288)
Tactical Response Plan
Notwithstanding the process described above, any portion of a comprehensive safety plan that addresses tactical responses to criminal incidents that may result in death or serious bodily injury at the school site, including steps to be taken to safeguard students and staff, secure the affected school premises, and apprehend the criminal perpetrator(s), shall be developed by district administrators in accordance with Education Code 32281. In developing such strategies, district administrators shall consult with law enforcement officials and with representative(s) of employee bargaining unit(s), if they choose to participate.
When reviewing the tactical response plan, the Board may meet in closed session to confer with law enforcement officials, provided that any vote to approve the tactical response plan is announced in open session following the closed session. (Education Code 32281)
(cf. 4119.23/4219.23/4319.23 – Unauthorized Release of Confidential/Privileged Information)
(cf. 9011 – Disclosure of Confidential/Privileged Information)
(cf. 9321 – Closed Session Purposes and Agendas)
(cf. 9321.1 – Closed Session Actions and Reports)
Access to Safety Plan(s)
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that an updated file of all safety-related plans and materials is readily available for inspection by the public. (Education Code 32282)
(cf. 1340 – Access to District Records)
However, those portions of the comprehensive safety plan that include tactical responses to criminal incidents shall not be publicly disclosed.
The Superintendent or designee shall share the comprehensive safety plans and any updates to the plans with local law enforcement, the local fire department, and other first responder entities. (Education Code 32281)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
200-262.4 Prohibition of discrimination
32260-32262 Interagency School Safety Demonstration Act of 1985
32270 School safety cadre
32280-32289 School safety plans
32290 Safety devices
35147 School site councils and advisory committees
35183 School dress code; uniforms
35291 Rules
35291.5 School-adopted discipline rules
41020 Annual audits
48900-48927 Suspension and expulsion
48950 Speech and other communication
49079 Notification to teacher; student act constituting grounds for suspension or expulsion
67381 Violent crime
GOVERNMENT CODE
54957 Closed session meetings for threats to security
PENAL CODE
422.55 Definition of hate crime
626.8 Disruptions
11164-11174.3 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
Article 1, Section 28(c) Right to Safe Schools
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
11987-11987.7 School Community Violence Prevention Program requirements
11992-11993 Definition, persistently dangerous schools
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
7111-7122 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
7912 Transfers from persistently dangerous schools
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
12101-12213 Americans with Disabilities Act
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Updated Legal Guidance: Protecting Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students Against Sex Discrimination, July 2016
Providing a Safe, Nondiscriminatory School Environment for Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students, Policy Brief, February 2014
Safe Schools: Strategies for Governing Boards to Ensure Student Success, rev. 2011
Community Schools: Partnerships Supporting Students, Families and Communities, Policy Brief, October 2010
Cyberbullying: Policy Considerations for Boards, Policy Brief, July 2010
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Safe Schools: A Planning Guide for Action, 2002
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION PUBLICATIONS
Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook, 2004
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities, January 2007
U.S. SECRET SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates, 2004
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education, Safe Schools: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: http://www.caloes.ca.gov
California Healthy Kids Survey: http://chks.wested.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention
Federal Bureau of Investigation: http://www.fbi.gov
National Center for Crisis Management: http://www.schoolcrisisresponse.com
National School Safety Center: http://www.schoolsafety.us
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov
U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center: http://www.secretservice.gov/protection/ntac
Please note that compare references, or “cf”, refer to CSBA model policies and do not necessarily indicate that the San Francisco Unified School District has adopted the referenced policy.