Great news! The Senate Ways and Means budget was released yesterday and the line item for Safe and Supportive Schools includes $500,000 in critical funding needed to continue the successful implementation of the Safe and Supportive Schools statute.
Representative Ruth Balser’s budget amendment to restore the critical funding to continue implementation of the Safe and Supportive Schools statute resulted in the House including funding at $500,000 in its final proposed budget! This is an increase of $300,000 from the recommendation in the House Ways and Means budget!
Since the release of the video last fall, we received a large number of requests to share the video. Many who contacted us let us know that there was a desire to start a trauma-sensitive schools discussion in their own communities. In response to these requests, we developed a discussion guide to go along with the video.
Unfortunately, the Safe and Supportive Schools line item (7061-9612) was significantly decreased in the FY18 House Ways and Means Budget. The proposed budget includes only $200,000, which is a reduction of $200,000 from the amount that was appropriated in last year’s budget. Thankfully, Representative Ruth Balser of Newton is filing a budget amendment to fund this line item at $400,000. This will restore critical funding for the line item.
This amicus brief in AM v Holmes asks the Supreme Court to hear a case on behalf of a student who was charged with a crime for burping loudly in class.While we know little of the reasons behind the behavior, advocates across the country from well respected children’s right organizations argue that the precedent established by this 10th Circuit decision upholding the criminal charge, could result in criminalizing behavior that includes: “boredom or insecurity due to a lack of understanding of the material being taught, to hunger, stress, disability, health issues, or unaddressed trauma”
School departments in Massachusetts seek to reassure parents, students, and teachers that protections remain in place for immigrant and transgender students.
The Hechinger Report describes New Orleans charter schools’ efforts to ditch the Zero Tolerance model of discipline in favor of trauma-sensitive practices.
We are pleased to share our new video “Why We Need Trauma-Sensitive Schools”. This video highlights the importance of leadership—superintendents, assistant superintendents-principals, and educators—in creating the understanding and infrastructure that can support the team work among staff needed to support all children to be successful.
A study in Urban Education found “Students who reported feeling unsafe in the classroom experience a consistent decrease in math scores.” This highlights the importance of a safe school environment as a prerequisite for productive learning and provides insight into the relationship between feelings of safety in the classroom and academic achievement.
During a recent event at the White House focusing on how schools should be addressing the traumatic experiences of girls, and girls of color in particular, Sara Burd, District Leader of Social Emotional Learning in Reading, MA shared the innovative approaches used across the Commonwealth to endeavor to create Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for all students.