A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct local boards of education to establish school‑justice partnerships and to provide training in juvenile justice issues and cultural competency to school safety resource officers.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑47 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑47.  Powers and duties generally.
In addition to the powers and duties designated in G.S. 115C‑36, local boards of education shall have the power or duty:
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(61)	To Provide a Safe School Environment. – Local boards of education may enter into an agreement with the sheriff, chief of police of a local police department, or chief of police of a county police department to provide security at the schools by assigning volunteer school safety resource officers who meet the selection standards and criteria developed by the head of the appropriate local law enforcement agency and the criteria set out in G.S. 162‑26 or G.S. 160A‑288.4, as appropriate. The agreement shall incorporate elements of the school‑justice partnership established in accordance with subdivision (61a) of this section, including addressing daily interactions between students, school personnel, and school safety resource officers, and a graduated response model for student discipline.
(61a)	To Establish School‑Justice Partnerships With Law Enforcement Agencies. – Each local board of education shall develop a school‑justice partnership with local law enforcement agencies in the local school administrative unit with the goal of reducing rates of in‑school arrests, expulsions, and out‑of‑school suspensions. The partnership shall focus on (i) providing connections for youth who are at risk of arrest to appropriate school‑ and community‑based services and supports, (ii) building knowledge and skills among teachers, school staff, and school safety resource officers to recognize and manage behavioral health issues in the school and employ a graduated response to disciplinary actions, and (iii) entering into agreements with local law enforcement agencies to encourage and support diversion from the juvenile justice system without compromising school safety.
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SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑276(r) reads as rewritten:
"(r)	To Maintain Student Discipline. – The superintendent shall maintain student discipline in accordance with Article 27 of this Chapter and shall keep data on each student to whom corporal punishment was administered, who was suspended for more than 10 days, who was reassigned for disciplinary reasons, who was arrested on school property, or who was expelled. This data shall include the race, gender, age, grade level, ethnicity, and disability status of each student, the duration of suspension for each student, whether alternative education services were provided for each student, and whether a student had multiple suspensions or arrests in that academic year."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 160A‑288.4 reads as rewritten:
"§ 160A‑288.4.  Police chief may establish volunteer school safety resource officer program.
(a)	The chief of police of a local police department or of a county police department may establish a volunteer school safety resource officer program to provide nonsalaried special law enforcement officers to serve as school safety resource officers in public schools. To be a volunteer in the program, a person must have prior experience as either (i) a sworn law enforcement officer or (ii) a military police officer with a minimum of two years' service. If a person with experience as a military police officer is no longer in the armed services, the person must also have an honorable discharge. A program volunteer must receive training on juvenile justice issues and cultural competency in accordance with subsection (a1) of this section and must also meet the selection standards and any additional criteria established by the chief of police.
(a1)	Volunteer school safety resource officers shall receive training developed by the North Carolina Justice Academy, in consultation with the Department of Justice, on juvenile justice issues and cultural competency including at least the following information:
(1)	Social and cognitive development research for elementary, middle, and high school children.
(2)	Behaviors, attitudes, and policies for school safety resource officers to promote understanding, effective communication, and positive interactions with the individuals and organizations in the community in which an officer serves.
(3)	Behavioral health issues in schools and methods to employ a graduated response to disciplinary actions.
(4)	Knowledge of governmental and community services available to help reduce juvenile arrests.
(5)	School‑justice partnerships between local school administrative units and law enforcement agencies.
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SECTION 4.  G.S. 162‑26 reads as rewritten:
"§ 162‑26.  Sheriff may establish volunteer school safety resource officer program.
(a)	The sheriff may establish a volunteer school safety resource officer program to provide nonsalaried special deputies to serve as school safety resource officers in public schools. To be a volunteer in the program, a person must have prior experience as either (i) a sworn law enforcement officer or (ii) a military police officer with a minimum of two years' service. If a person with experience as a military police officer is no longer in the armed services, the person must also have an honorable discharge. A program volunteer must receive training on juvenile justice issues and cultural competency in accordance with subsection (a1) of this section and must also meet the selection standards and any additional criteria established by the sheriff.
(a1)	Volunteer school safety resource officers shall receive training developed by the North Carolina Justice Academy, in consultation with the Department of Justice, on juvenile justice issues and cultural competency including at least the following information:
(1)	Social and cognitive development research for elementary, middle, and high school children.
(2)	Behaviors, attitudes, and policies for school safety resource officers to promote understanding, effective communication, and positive interactions with the individuals and organizations in the community in which an officer serves.
(3)	Behavioral health issues in schools and methods to employ a graduated response to disciplinary actions.
(4)	Knowledge of governmental and community services available to help reduce juvenile arrests.
(5)	School‑justice partnerships between local school administrative units and law enforcement agencies.
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SECTION 5.  By January 1, 2018, the North Carolina Justice Academy, in consultation with the Department of Justice, shall develop a juvenile justice and cultural competency training program to be provided to volunteer school safety officers in accordance with G.S. 160A‑288.4 and G.S. 162‑26, as amended by this act.
SECTION 6.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2018‑2019 school year.