Arlington Public Schools and School Resource

Officers September 3, 2020

Agenda

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6:30 Setting the Stage Dr. Francisco Durán, Chair Monique O’Grady

6:50 Where We AreRecap of January 2020 Board Presentation on the current status of SRO work in APS, MOU and Discipline

Dr. Jeannette Allen, Lieutenant Elisio Pilco

7:15 What We Are Hearing Community Input to Date

Brian Stockton

7:30 APS Proposal Working Group to review and provide recommendations

Brian Stockton

8:00 Discussion Board Members

Presentation Overview

APS & ACPD MOU Overview

Know Your Rights

Highlights

Strategic Plan Connection

Data That Provides Insight

School Resource Officers (SROs)

Legislative Updates

Restorative Justice

Opportunities for Improvement

Options & Requirements

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APS & ACPD MOU Overview

• Work began Summer 2017 to update MOU• Virginia School-Law Enforcement Partnership

Model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)• Developed by Virginia Department of Criminal

Justice Services (DCJS)• Collaboration between ACPD & APS• MOU alignment with APS & ACPD policies &

practices • Signed May 2018• Reviewed September 2019

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APS & ACPD MOU Key Elements

• School discipline is the responsibility of school administration and teachers

• Considerations for Age & Disability• SRO & APS Roles & Responsibilities • Safety• Investigation & Questioning *

• Interactions• Interviews• Investigations

• Searches• Administrative • SRO

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Know Your Rights

Purpose:• Awareness of rights• Educate and empower Students• Promote active engagement & civic

responsibility• Responsive to community needs

Key Elements:• Law enforcement are trusted members of the

community• Promotes respectful interactions with law

enforcements• Student-friendly language for expression of their

rights• Guidance on searches

Implementation:• Brochures• Flyers• Canvas Course

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Highlights

• Increased communication between administration & SRO

• Increased communication and collaborations between SRO Unit and APS central office staff

• Defined roles• Annual MOU review with staff• Pro-Active Measures• Restorative Practices• ACPD meeting growth demands• Raptor Visitor Managements System

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Student Well-Being

Performance Objective 9: All students can identify at least one school-based adult who supports and encourages their academic and personal growth.ACPD/APS Cares• Education

• Police Camp• Second Chance• Arlington County Summer Teen

Enrichment Program (ACSTEP)• Collaboration

• Co-Teach lessons in elementary and secondary Schools

• Co-teach lessons with counselors and substance abuse counselors

• Participation• Field Trips• School Activities

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Student Well-Being

MOU• Trusted adult• School discipline is school

staff responsibility• Routine meetings with SRO

and school & central office Administrators

• Advocacy

Performance Objective 10: Disproportionality in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be reduced, and overall suspensions will not increase.

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Partnerships

Safety

• ACPD & APSBack to School

Safety

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Partnerships

Supporting Families

ACPD & APS• Back to School

Supplies• Holidays

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Partnerships

Supporting Education & Prevention

ACPD & APS• Substance

Abuse & Prevention Education

• Second Chance

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Data That Provides Insight

• Overall Suspension Data• Race/Ethnicity

• Law Enforcement Notification • Required vs. Non-Required Offenses• Offenses that Require Notification• Outcomes of Notifications to Law Enforcement

• Arlington Public Schools Survey Data• Your Voice Matters (YVM)• Virginia School Climate Survey

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APS Suspension Data (Internal)

APS internal data differs from VDOE statistics due to reporting requirements. The state does not report all offenses and does not collect all discipline data. Duplication or publication of this data is prohibited

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378

582

292

498

343

569

258

418

324

458

233

321

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Students Suspensions Students Suspensions

In-School Out-of-School

All Suspension Totals – 3 Year Trend

2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020

15APS internal data differs from VDOE statistics due to reporting requirements. The state does not report all offenses and does not collect all discipline data. Duplication or publication of this data is prohibited

Enrollment vs. All Suspensions by Race/Ethnicity- SY 2019-20

2,380, 9%

2,661, 10%

7,484, 28%

2,032, 7%

12,360, 46%

2019-20 Enrollment34, 4%

203, 26%

349, 45%

42, 6%

151, 19%

2019-20 Total Suspensions

Asian Black Hispanic Other White

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Required vs. Non-Required Law Enforcement Notification

*Required to Be Reported to Law Enforcement: • Alcohol• Assault/Battery (w/injury)• Bomb/School/Terrorist Threat• Drug Violations* • Homicide• Kidnapping• Stalking• Sexual Offenses• Threats to Staff• Weapons

Non-Report to Law Enforcement:• Arson• Inciting a Riot• Breaking and

Entering/Burglary• Bullying/Cyber

Bullying• Disruptive Behavior• Drug Violations*• Inappropriate

Use/Electronic Devices

• Fighting/Conflict• Gambling• Gang Activity

Non-Report to Law Enforcement cont’d:• Harassment• Hazing• Other Violations• Robbery• Sexual Offenses

(non violent)• Technology Use

Violations• Threats to students• Tobacco Offenses• Trespassing• Vandalism

*not all offenses, Legislative changes have further reduced number or required law enforcement notification. As of this presentation VDOE has not provided updated list.

APS MOU Related Data

18APS internal data differs from VDOE statistics due to reporting requirements. The state does not report all offenses and does not collect all discipline data. Duplication or publication of this data is prohibited

Referred to Law Enforcement (RLE) Offenses vs Non-RLE Offenses

APS internal data differs from VDOE statistics due to reporting requirements. The state does not report all offenses and does not collect all discipline data. Duplication or publication of this data is prohibited 19

RLE, 94 , 12%

Non-RLE, 685 , 88%

2019-2020

RLE, 106 , 9%

Non-RLE, 1,041 , 91%

2018-2019

RLE Non-RLE

2019-2020 Referred to Law Enforcement (RLE) Offenses by Ethnicity

Asian, 5, 5%

Black, 27, 29%

Hispanic, 37, 39%

Other, 8, 9%

White, 17, 18%

2019-20 Referred to Law Enforcement

Asian Black Hispanic Other White

Asian, 2,380,

9% Black, 2,661, 10%

Hispanic, 7,484, 28%

Other, 2,032,

7%

White, 12,360, 46%

2019-20 Enrollment

APS internal data differs from VDOE statistics due to reporting requirements. The state does not report all offenses and does not collect all discipline data. Duplication or publication of this data is prohibited

Referred to Law Enforcement (RLE) By Violation

Alcohol, 6%

Arson, 1%

Assault/Battery, 23%

Bomb Threat, 4%

Drug 32%Sexual Offense,

5%

Threatening, 19%

Weapons, 10%

2018-2019 RLE VIOLATIONS (#106)

APS internal data differs from VDOE statistics due to reporting requirements. The state does not report all offenses and does not collect all discipline data. Duplication or publication of this data is prohibited 21

Alcohol7%

Arson2%

Assault/Battery21%

Bomb Threat1%Drug

36%

Sexual Offense2%

Threatening22%

Weapons9%

2019-2020 RLE VIOLATIONS (#94)

Referred to Law Enforcement (RLE) Results & Court Referral Results

No Police Action, 53, 50%Incident Documented

- No Charges, 37, 35%

Referred to Court, 16,

15%

2018-2019 Police Referral Results (#106)

No Police Action Incident Documented - No Charges Referred to Court

Found Guilty, 6,

37%

Found Not Guilty, 2,

13%

Referred to Diversion

Program, 8, 50%

2018-2019 Court Referral Results

Found GuiltyFound Not GuiltyReferred to Diversion Program

Guilty Court Results Represent 5.7%

APS internal data differs from VDOE statistics due to reporting requirements. The state does not report all offenses and does not collect all discipline data. Duplication or publication of this data is prohibited

Referred to Law Enforcement (RLE) Results & Court Referral Results

No Police Action, 17, 18%

Incident Documented - No Charges, 67, 71%

Referred to Court, 10, 11%

2019-2020 Police Referral Results (#94)

No Police Action Incident Documented - No Charges Referred to Court

Suspended Imposition of Sentence, 7, 70%

Plead Guilty, 1, 10%

Pending, 2, 20%

2019-2020 Court Referral Results (#8)

Suspended Imposition of SentencePlead GuiltyPending

APS internal data differs from VDOE statistics due to reporting requirements. The state does not report all offenses and does not collect all discipline data. Duplication or publication of this data is prohibited

Your Voice Matters- 2020

Question: How safe or unsafe does having a school resource officer (SRO) in school make you feel?

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Survey Group Safe

(Somewhat/Very)

Neither Unsafe

(Somewhat/Very)

Didn’t know my school had an SRO

Students 4-5 Graders 53% 11% 4% 33%

Students 6-12 Graders 57% 26% 5% 10%

Family 50% 21% 5% 24%

Staff* 93% n/a 7% n/a

Virginia School Climate Survey- Students

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Prompt Year No SRO Disagree AgreeThe school resource officer (SRO) makes me feel safer at school.

2018 12% 23% 65%

2019 3% 19% 78%

2020 <1% 28% 71%

Prompt Year Never Once or Twice a Semester

About Weekly Every Day

Over the past school year, about how often have you spoken with the SRO who works in you school

2018 75% 17% 5% 4%

2019 71% 27% 2% 0%

2020 88% 11% <1% <1%

Virginia School Climate Survey- Staff

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Prompt: Over the past scho SRO who works in you school.

Prompt Year Disagree(Somewhat/Strongly)

Agree(Somewhat/Strongly)

The school resource officer (SRO) makes me feel safer

at this school.

2019 11% 88%

2020 26% 74%

Prompt Year Disagree(Somewhat/Strongly)

Agree(Somewhat/Strongly)

The school resource officer (SRO) makes a positive contribution to our school.

2019 11% 89%

2020 19% 80%

School Resource Officer- History

• The School Resource Officer program began in 1969 – Officers were assigned mostly to Elementary Schools, but also assisted with Middle and High Schools.

• In the late 1940’s ACPD, through it’s Traffic Safety Program, began working with the schools to assist with the School Safety Patrol program. Police Patrol camps began in 1950 with (50) boys to be trained as leaders of School Safety Patrols. The camp was one-week long.

• Prior to our current 2018 MOU there was a 2014-2017 SRO MOU

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School Resource Officers- Training

ACPD SROs receive training to work with students

Training meets or exceeds state requirements:• 40 hours of Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Basic SRO Course• 40 hours of basic Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)• CPR Certification• Cyber Bullying • Substance Abuse Prevention• Internet Safety• Effective communications based on age and development• Trauma Informed Child Development• Mindfulness

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What do SROs do in schools?

SROs perform many services:• Education

• Substance Abuse• Cyber Safety• Personal Safety• Driver Safety

• Interact with Students • During lunch• Coaching after school• After school activities (extended day,

clubs, as requested)• Sporting events

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• Meetings • Threat Assessment (Supervisors)• Staff meetings (regularly scheduled)• Principal and AP meetings (as requested)• Parent meetings during school• PTA meetings in the evening

What do SROs do in schools? Cont’d

• Security functions• Sporting events• Evening and weekend special

events.• Academic events.• Community events.• Cultural events.

• Traffic Safety • Follow up on incidents • Lockdown Drills

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What did SROs do during COVID-19 School Closure

• Assist with Food Distribution:• APS food distribution locations

(assist with security)• Harvey Hall• Woodbury • The Frederick

• AHC food distribution (assist with logistics, security, and actual distribution of necessities)

• PTAs• Abingdon ES off-site locations (3

locations during the week)• Barcroft ES / Jamestown • Clairmont

• COVID-19 Pop-up testing sites (SRO Bike Team provided security)

• Barcroft Park (June and July)

• Assigned to various units:• Criminal Investigations• Online and Telephone Reporting

Unit• Bike Team• Community Outreach

•

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Training and Collaboration

• Common Language• Expand Professional Learning Opportunities

• Crisis Prevention Intervention(CPI)• De-escalation Strategies• Working with Students with Disabilities• Restorative Justice Partnership

• Restorative Justice Initiative • SCAN Trauma Informed Child Development• New DCJS requirement for additional SRO

training

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Moving Forward: 2020 Legislative Positions- Updated

• The Arlington School Board Supported:

• Legislation that would decriminalize disorderly conduct for school-based offenses- PASSED: VA Law no longer has disorderly conduct for juveniles

• Legislation that would impose a statewide sales tax on e-cigarettes and vaping materials with the proceeds to be dedicated to public education and would allow localities to also impose such a tax. PENDING

• Legislation that would eliminate mandatory reporting of misdemeanors and status offenses by students to law enforcement for school-based incidents- PASSED: Mandatory Reporting has now changed. Most misdemeanors no longer reportable and push for restorative justice in lieu of law enforcement notification.

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Restorative Justice

• Arlington County established a Restorative Justice to evaluate its potential impact across three categories: Legal, Community & Schools

• Presentation to county board with recommendations for restorative Arlington will be made in fall/winter 2020

• SRO Unit Sergeant Troyano has been a member of the Restorative Justice Schools Working Group

• Four APS Staff are members of the Restorative Justice Schools Working Group:

• Shari Benites • Marcia Carter*• Laurel Cerrud*• Dr. Aleta Myers*

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Opportunities for Improvement

Data Collection:

• Data for MOU accountability• Objective tool(s) to measure

effectiveness • County and APS Data• Follow-Up after Law Enforcement

Notification• Documentation of SRO contact

Other:

• Efficient Use of Resources (Safety)• Professional Development

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Requirements & Options

Requirements based of VA Code:• Law Enforcement

Notification for certain offenses

• Threat Assessment• Safety Audit Committee

• Options:1. Continue SRO/ACPD relationship with

APS• SRO remain is schools• MOU updated• Data Collection improvements• Reporting improvements• Create Dashboard or provide Periodic

Updates*

2. End SRO/ACPD Relationship with APS• SROs are no longer in schools• MOU voided

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Community Input to Date

Summary of Messages to School Board: ACPD Memorandum of Understanding & SROs• Since June 1, 2020, the School Board has received 195 messages, half

of which are from Arlington residents, including students, community members, parents and APS alumni.

• 20 Messages to the Superintendent

• 50 Messages to Engage

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Community Input to Date

Key Themes from Arlington Residents • Consideration for APS to terminate contract with the Arlington County

Police Department and remove resource officers from schools• Evaluating the MOU and relationship with police• Concerns with ACPD participation in schools• Diverting funds to support Black and minority students

• Use money toward mental health and other supports- mental health professionals, counselors, social workers, after school activities.

• Implement district-wide programs such as restorative practices.• Addressing inequities in the school system including racism

• Review the disproportionate arrests of Black and minority students• Concerns with curriculum – add more books by people of color,

addressing racism, adding more social justice curriculum38

APS Proposal – Work Group and Timeline

• September 3 Work Session on Arlington Public Schools and School Resource Officers

• September 24 and October 8: School Board Info Item and Action Item

• October 9: Work Group Application

• November 9: Work Group Application Deadline

• November 10: Work Group Selection Period Commences

• December 3: Work Group approved by School Board

• December 10: Work Group Assembled

• January: Hold Public Hearing with Assembled Work Group

• January – May: Work Group Monthly Meeting

• June: Recommendation

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APS Proposal – Work Group

• Recommended that Work Group include:

• APS Students • Parents• Staff• Advisory Councils • Community Members• Arlington County Police

• Facilitated by Professional Facilitator

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APS Proposal – Draft Work Group Charge

The Arlington Public Schools and School Resource Officers Work Group is being created by the School Board and Superintendent to primarily address the community concerns expressed to the School Board and Superintendent regarding the relationship and the operations that Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) have with Arlington Public Schools (APS). The work of the Work Group will also serve to meet the requirement to review the memorandum of understanding with our local law enforcement and ensure opportunity for community input during the review per VA Code § 22.1-280.2:3.

The Arlington Public Schools and School Resource Officers Work Group will receive the following as its charge and will present a report with recommendations to the School Board and Superintendent no later than June 2021.

The Work Group will be convened by the Superintendent’s Chief of Staff, Brian Stockton, and will be facilitated by a professional facilitator. The working group will conduct monthly meetings with the first introductory meeting to be held in December 2020.

The Work Group will consist of up to 48 members who represent Arlington Public Schools student demographics and include members of advisory groups, students, parents, police and staff. This will help ensure diverse and inclusive working group. Arlington community members and Arlington Public Schools staff may volunteer to serve on the Work Group through the Engage website between October 9 and November 9, 2020. The Work Group will review the following and produce a report with recommenda ons, as specified below, to the Superintendent and School Board by June 2021.

The Work Group will:

1. Conduct a scan and review the history of School Resource Officers involvement in APS

2. Obtain and review local, state and na onal data and research on the role, opera ons, benefits and consequences of police in public schools

3. Receive community input on Arlington County Police Department and School Resource Officer s in Arlington Public Schools, current operations, past operations, and possible future operations

4. Receive and consider Arlington County Police Department input regarding its operation in Arlington Public Schools currently and possible future operations

5. Provide a report with recommendations to the Superintendent and School Board that includes background, issues, options, considerations and specific recommendations regarding the operations of Arlington County Police Department and School Resource Officers in Arlington Public Schools, and addresses ACPD’s working relationship with Arlington Public Schools. The report should also include a financial analysis of the cost of any recommendations provided. Community feedback and Work Group members input on those recommendations should be included, noting considerations, minority opinions and be presented to the Superintendent and School Board. The School Board and the Superintendent will determine next steps on those recommendations by the fall of 2021

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Arlington Public Schools and School Resource Officers

Discussion and Wrap-up

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