2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 10 - Education and Culture › Chapter 170 - Boards of Education › Section 10-222k. - District safe school climate coordinator. Safe school climate specialist. Safe school climate committee.

(a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2012, and each school year thereafter, the superintendent of each local or regional board of education shall appoint, from among existing school district staff, a district safe school climate coordinator. The district safe school climate coordinator shall: (1) Be responsible for implementing the district's safe school climate plan, developed pursuant to section 10-222d, (2) collaborate with the safe school climate specialists, described in subsection (b) of this section, the board of education for the district and the superintendent of schools of the school district to prevent, identify and respond to bullying in the schools of the district, (3) provide data and information, in collaboration with the superintendent of schools of the district, to the Department of Education regarding bullying, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of section 10-222d and subsection (a) of section 10-222h, and (4) meet with the safe school climate specialists at least twice during the school year to discuss issues relating to bullying in the school district and to make recommendations concerning amendments to the district's safe school climate plan.
(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2012, and each school year thereafter, the principal of each school, or the principal's designee, shall serve as the safe school climate specialist and shall (1) investigate or supervise the investigation of reported acts of bullying in the school in accordance with the district's safe school climate plan, (2) collect and maintain records of reports and investigations of bullying in the school, and (3) act as the primary school official responsible for preventing, identifying and responding to reports of bullying in the school.
(c) (1) For the school year commencing July 1, 2012, and each school year thereafter, the principal of each school shall establish a committee or designate at least one existing committee in the school to be responsible for developing and fostering a safe school climate and addressing issues relating to bullying in the school. Such committee shall include at least one parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school appointed by the school principal, and for the school year commencing July 1, 2021, and each school year thereafter, such committee shall also include (A) school personnel, including, but not limited to, at least one teacher selected by the exclusive bargaining representative for certified employees chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, (B) medical and mental health personnel assigned to such school, and (C) in the case of a committee for a high school, at least one student enrolled at such high school who is selected by the students of such school in a manner determined by the school principal.
(2) Any such committee shall: (A) Receive copies of completed reports following investigations of bullying, (B) identify and address patterns of bullying among students in the school, (C) implement the provisions of the school security and safety plan, developed pursuant to section 10-222m, regarding the collection, evaluation and reporting of information relating to instances of disturbing or threatening behavior that may not meet the definition of bullying, (D) review and amend school policies relating to bullying, (E) review and make recommendations to the district safe school climate coordinator regarding the district's safe school climate plan based on issues and experiences specific to the school, (F) educate students, school employees and parents and guardians of students on issues relating to bullying, (G) collaborate with the district safe school climate coordinator in the collection of data regarding bullying, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of section 10-222d and subsection (a) of section 10-222h, and (H) perform any other duties as determined by the school principal that are related to the prevention, identification and response to school bullying for the school.
(3) Any parent or guardian or student serving as a member of any such committee shall not participate in the activities described in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of subdivision (2) of this subsection or any other activity that may compromise the confidentiality of a student.
(P.A. 11-232, S. 9; P.A. 13-3, S. 88; P.A. 21-95, S. 14.)
History: P.A. 11-232 effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-3 amended Subsec. (c)(2) by making a technical change, redesignating existing Subparas. (C) to (G) as Subparas. (D) to (H) and adding new Subpara. (C) re school security and safety plans and amended Subsec. (c)(3) by making a conforming change, effective April 4, 2013; P.A. 21-95 amended Subsec. (c) by adding provisions re committee members included for school year commencing July 1, 2021, and each school year thereafter, in Subdiv. (1), and adding “or student” in Subdiv. (3), effective July 1, 2021.