SCHOOLS ACT STILL TRICKY FOR DISTRICTS

While school superintendents and board members discussed Thursday how the Missouri Safe Schools Act applies to their districts, about $4 million already had been distributed in program grants by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

About 90 school officials attended a Missouri School Boards Association meeting Thursday night at Nell Holcomb Elementary School to learn more about the Safe Schools legislation and how it affects their districts.

The Missouri Safe Schools Act was designed to create a safer environment in the classroom. The law, which took effect Aug. 28, allows for tougher punishments of students who are charged with assaults or drug possession on school grounds. It also provides funding for alternative school programs.

"It's a long and complex document that can't be easily summarized," said Kristen Morrow, a staff attorney for MSBA. "It is new and untested. It is subject to refinement."

Each school district must apply the generalities of the law to its specific discipline and reporting policies.

However, there are some bizarre twists in the law. Any fight on school grounds should be reported to local law officials, according to the law.

But a playground fight between 6-year-olds is different than a fight between 17-year-olds, Morrow said.

"The district should notify the prosecuting attorney if you were to follow the letter of the law," she said. Local law officials can offer some advice for specific districts, Morrow said.

Although the legislation applies to discipline codes and school policies, the Safe Schools Act and Safe Schools grant programs are not the same.

The legislation set aside $10 million to fund the grants distributed through DESE. About $8 million was designated for programs like peer tutoring and problem resolution. Only $2 million was earmarked for equipment needs.

About half the grants awarded to schools in July were split between programs and equipment. A second cycle of grant applications are due Oct. 1.

The Cape Girardeau School District applied for a grant to help fund its Alternative School program but it was denied during the first round. The district is fine-tuning its grant and will reapply by Oct. 1.

If approved, the Safe Schools grant will enhance an alternative program already in place in the district, said superintendent, Dr. Dan Tallent. The alternative school is funded through the Division of Youth Services and the 32nd Judicial Circuit Juvenile Division.

Several area schools received equipment grants through the Safe Schools program. Only five districts in the state, including Sikeston, received the maximum amount of $75,000 for equipment. The Caruthersville School District received $9,075 for equipment.

Most of the equipment grants fund purchasing two-way radios, fences, outdoor lights and metal detectors in extreme cases.