(a) The commissioner shall establish a school safety technical assistance center at the department to help districts and schools under section 121A.031 provide a safe and supportive learning environment and foster academic achievement for all students by focusing on prevention, intervention, support, and recovery efforts to develop and maintain safe and supportive schools. The center must work collaboratively with implicated state agencies identified by the center and schools, communities, and interested individuals and organizations to determine how to best use available resources.

(b) The center's services shall include:

(1) evidence-based policy review, development, and dissemination;

(2) single, point-of-contact services designed for schools, parents, and students seeking information or other help;

(3) qualitative and quantitative data gathering, interpretation, and dissemination of summary data for existing reporting systems and student surveys and the identification and pursuit of emerging trends and issues;

(4) assistance to districts and schools in using Minnesota student survey results to inform intervention and prevention programs;

(5) education and skill building;

(6) multisector and multiagency planning and advisory activities incorporating best practices and research; and

(7) administrative and financial support for school and district planning, schools recovering from incidents of violence, and school and district violence prevention education.

(c) The center shall:

(1) compile and make available to all districts and schools evidence-based elements and resources to develop and maintain safe and supportive schools;

(2) establish and maintain a central repository for collecting and analyzing information about prohibited conduct under section 121A.031, including, but not limited to:

(i) training materials on strategies and techniques to prevent and appropriately address prohibited conduct under section 121A.031;

(ii) model programming;

(iii) remedial responses consistent with section 121A.031, subdivision 2, paragraph (i); and

(iv) other resources for improving the school climate and preventing prohibited conduct under section 121A.031;

(3) assist districts and schools to develop strategies and techniques for effectively communicating with and engaging parents in efforts to protect and deter students from prohibited conduct under section 121A.031; and

(4) solicit input from social media experts on implementing this section.

(d) The commissioner shall provide administrative services including personnel, budget, payroll and contract services, and staff support for center activities including developing and disseminating materials, providing seminars, and developing and maintaining a website. Center staff shall include a center director, a data analyst coordinator, and trainers who provide training to affected state and local organizations under a fee-for-service agreement. The financial, administrative, and staff support the commissioner provides under this section must be based on an annual budget and work program developed by the center and submitted to the commissioner by the center director.

(e) School safety technical assistance center staff may consult with school safety center staff at the Department of Public Safety in providing services under this section.

(f) The center is voluntary and advisory. The center does not have enforcement, rulemaking, oversight, or regulatory authority.

(g) The center expires on June 30, 2019.

History: 2014 c 160 s 7