Successes

We are making an impact

In 2019, New York State effectively passed through the budget part of the Solutions Not Suspensions bill - which included language to stop inappropriate interactions between school resource officers and students, and make sure all of the adults that students interact with have training of best practices in creating safe, healthy, and inclusive schools - by adopting a new requirement for school districts to reduce and regulate the role of police in our schools. New York Education Law § 2801-a(10) requires every school district with law enforcement, School Resource Officers (“SROs”), or security guards to adopt a written Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) that clearly defines the role of police, and keeps them out of disciplinary matters. The new law places responsibility for school discipline squarely with educators, not police, and requires districts to engage with the public about their school safety program.