Bill Overview
Title: School Shooting Safety and Preparedness Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to publish an annual report on indicators of school crime and safety. The report must collect specified information, including the number of school shootings that have taken place nationwide and the number of those that were mass shootings; the number of people killed or injured in each school shooting; the age, gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality of each victim; the motivation of the shooter; how the shooting was stopped; the number and type of firearms and ammunition used in each shooting; and the response time of law enforcement. ED must direct the National Center for Education Statistics to collect and publish specified data on school shootings. The center must collect information on the existence or absence of specified measures at the time of the shooting, including physical and other types of security measures, a communication plan with local law enforcement, a response plan that includes coordination with local agencies, an active shooter response plan, and a trauma response plan.
Sponsors: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23]
Target Audience
Population: People connected to educational institutions worldwide
Estimated Size: 60000000
- The data collected will be used to understand and mitigate the effects of school shootings.
- This will impact students, school staff, and administrators who are currently experiencing or have potential exposure to school shootings.
- Research and policy decisions based on these reports will affect educational institutions globally.
- Indirectly, families and communities of students and staff will be affected by changes in school safety policies worldwide.
Reasoning
- The policy focuses on reporting and studying school shootings to create improved safety measures, which will primarily impact students, staff, and educators. Families and communities connected to educational institutions will also feel indirect effects as safety protocols change and evolve.
- Budget constraints mean that this policy will need to focus on cost-effective data collection and dissemination strategies. While the policy's immediate effects may seem minimal, its long-term impact could be substantial if it leads to greater safety and fewer incidents.
- There can be a wide variety of impacts - from students feeling more secure to overburdening schools with new capabilities and technologies that require proper integration.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (New York, NY)
Age: 16 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's important that we understand what's actually happening with school shootings. The more we know, the better prepared we can be. But I'm also concerned that focusing too much on the negative might make students even more anxious.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
High School Principal (Dallas, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Understanding detailed statistics is crucial for us to develop better safety protocols and ensure the well-being of our students and staff.
- I worry about the potential stigma or fear that might arise from focusing too much on shootings in public reports.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Teacher (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My students already worry about school safety. Having accurate reports could help us manage those fears with facts and not rumors.
- It's crucial that we approach this data respectfully, without causing more anxiety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
School Safety Officer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being responsible for student safety means valuing every tool that can help predict or prevent incidents. These reports could be crucial.
- There's always a concern that too much focus on negative outcomes can lead to fear rather than preparedness.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
School Board Member (Miami, FL)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We should base our policies on sound data. This initiative will provide that much-needed background.
- At the same time, we must ensure that the data is contextualized correctly to prevent panic among our citizens.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
College Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 19 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having experienced the fear firsthand, I think detailed data is a positive move. It helps speak to the reality without exaggeration.
- However, we need to ensure this doesn't sensationalize or create fear among students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Education Policy Analyst (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 35 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accurate data guides excellent policy making. I'm optimistic that this will lead to real, measurable impact in safety improvements.
- It's essential to ensure policy outcomes align with educational goals and not cause excessive spending.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Middle School Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 12 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's scary to think about school shootings. If knowing more helps make us safe, then it's probably a good thing.
- I don't want school to feel like a prison, though. It should feel safe and happy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Parent (Boston, MA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's hard not to worry as a parent. Anything that helps make the schools safer is worth doing.
- I believe transparency is vital. I just don't want my children to go to school in fear every day.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Journalist (Seattle, WA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having concrete data helps frame the narrative around school shootings accurately, which is crucial for public understanding.
- However, there needs to be a balance to avoid causing general panic.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $40000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $50000000)
Year 2: $35000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $45000000)
Year 3: $37000000 (Low: $32000000, High: $46000000)
Year 5: $38000000 (Low: $33000000, High: $47000000)
Year 10: $40000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $50000000)
Year 100: $45000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $55000000)
Key Considerations
- The effectiveness of the policy depends on the accurate and comprehensive collection of data.
- Coordination between educational institutions and law enforcement must be efficient to gather requested data.
- This initiative might face resistance due to privacy concerns over the collected data.
- Long-term effects can include improved school safety and policy reforms, although these are outside direct fiscal impacts.