NY S07945

Creates the Office of Safe Schools within the Department of Education to serve as a central repository for best practices, training standards, and compliance oversight regarding school safety and security, including prevention, intervention, and emergency preparedness planning.

Office must establish and maintain a school security risk assessment tool for use by school districts and charter schools, provide professional development opportunities, and deliver technical assistance and guidance on safety and security recommendations.

Office shall develop and implement a school safety specialist training program based on national and state best practices that includes active shooter training in both traditional and online formats, with certificate of completion for those who meet requirements.

Office may contract with security personnel, consulting engineers, architects, or other safety experts for consultant services and must provide data analytic resources to school districts to monitor social media for early detection of threats.

Appropriates $10,000,000 from the state general fund for implementation, payable on audit and warrant of the comptroller, with the act taking effect August 1, 2018.