Bill Overview
Title: Protect Our Children's Schools Act
Description: This bill requires certain unobligated federal COVID-19 relief funds to be made available to local educational agencies for keeping elementary and secondary schools physically secure.
Sponsors: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Target Audience
Population: School Students Worldwide
Estimated Size: 50000000
- The bill directs unobligated federal COVID-19 relief funds to be used for school security.
- It applies to elementary and secondary school levels, which usually include grades K-12.
- Any changes in school security would directly impact the student population attending these schools.
Reasoning
- The policy specifically aims to utilize unused COVID-19 relief funds to boost security in K-12 schools, implying a reallocation of existing resources rather than needing new ones.
- A limited budget means that not all schools will benefit equally or immediately; there may be prioritization based on need, current security status, or past incidents.
- The effectiveness of the policy on improving student wellbeing depends on perceived security improvements and actual incident reduction.
- Students and school staff are likely the most directly affected, though parental opinions will also be influenced by perceived safety of their children.
- Regional differences might impact the policy's effectiveness based on existing security measures, crime rates, and local school budget allocations.
- Enhancement of school security can potentially indirectly improve education outcomes by providing a distraction-free environment.
Simulated Interviews
Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 14 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I sometimes feel nervous at school due to news about shootings.
- Improved security would help me focus more on my studies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our school often faces security threats.
- Any improvement in security would ease my daily concerns significantly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Parent (Dallas, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm happy to see unused funds being repurposed for security.
- My main concern is transparency on how these improvements are implemented.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
School Administrator (New York, NY)
Age: 53 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Additional funds will help but managing them with limited resources is challenging.
- Prioritizing schools with past incidents will be key.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
School Safety Specialist (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill can strengthen existing protocols.
- Consistent updates on usage of funds will be crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
School Counselor (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Counseling is affected by constant fear of safety issues.
- This act could relieve some anxiety among students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 16 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm skeptical about how much it will change, but it's a good start.
- Safety at school feels really important right now for everyone.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired Security Officer (Houston, TX)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm pleased these funds are being redirected.
- Focus should definitely be on prevention measures like controlled access.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
School Board Member (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's critical to target these funds thoughtfully for maximum impact.
- We should evaluate results annually and adjust use of funds accordingly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Parent (Boston, MA)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- School safety is always a concern as a parent.
- The policy helps, but it's just a start – ongoing reinforcement is necessary.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000000 (Low: $1000000000, High: $2000000000)
Year 2: $1500000000 (Low: $1000000000, High: $2000000000)
Year 3: $1200000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1600000000)
Year 5: $1000000000 (Low: $700000000, High: $1300000000)
Year 10: $800000000 (Low: $600000000, High: $1000000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $70000000)
Key Considerations
- Relies heavily on the amount of unobligated funds available.
- Varies significantly by state and district based on existing security infrastructure and local needs.
- Potentially reduces new federal appropriations request dedicated to school security.