(1)The general assembly hereby
finds that:
(a)A safe and healthy learning environment for all students in Colorado is an
important priority for the state;
(b)Research into evidence-based practices continues to demonstrate that
academic achievement improves as the level of safety and security in a school
increases;
(c)Studies of recent school attacks have established that school violence
may be prevented with appropriate information sharing;
(d)Suicide, which remains one of the leading causes of death for Colorado's
youth, may also be prevented with appropriate intervention;
(e)Both the physical and psychological well-being of students and school
personnel is critically important; and
(f)Improving student engagement, including reducing dropout rates and
truancy levels,
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(1) The general assembly hereby
finds that:
(a) A safe and healthy learning environment for all students in Colorado is an
important priority for the state;
(b) Research into evidence-based practices continues to demonstrate that
academic achievement improves as the level of safety and security in a school
increases;
(c) Studies of recent school attacks have established that school violence
may be prevented with appropriate information sharing;
(d) Suicide, which remains one of the leading causes of death for Colorado's
youth, may also be prevented with appropriate intervention;
(e) Both the physical and psychological well-being of students and school
personnel is critically important; and
(f) Improving student engagement, including reducing dropout rates and
truancy levels, is an important factor for ensuring that schools are safe and
successful.
(2) The general assembly further finds that:
(a) The most appropriate way to prevent and prepare for acts of violence and
other emergencies that may occur on school campuses is to foster a cooperative
effort by schools, school resource officers, law enforcement agencies, emergency
responders, behavioral health experts, parents, and community members to
identify, gather, and apply the necessary resources; and
(b) Emergency response and crisis management measures should be
implemented in all communities within the state to protect students and school
personnel.
(2.5) The general assembly further finds and declares that:
(a) Human trafficking is a matter of statewide concern and has a direct
impact on local communities, law enforcement agencies, and organizations that
provide services to human trafficking survivors;
(b) Although training resources are available on the front range, many areas
of the state have limited training resources pertaining to human trafficking that are
easily available or accessible;
(c) Labor and sex trafficking can happen in any community. All areas of the
state should have access to training to help identify human trafficking and provide
critical services to human trafficking survivors.
(d) Traffickers target and recruit children in schools in Colorado. It is
essential to increase awareness of school staff, parents and guardians, and
students of the dangers of human trafficking. To assist schools, parents, and
children, the Colorado school safety resource center shall annually update and
disseminate a list of available human trafficking curricula to schools, including
some that are free of charge.
(e) The Colorado human trafficking council has developed a curriculum and
train-the-trainer program for law enforcement; and
(f) The council was also charged with developing a curriculum and train-the-trainer program for entities that provide services to human trafficking survivors.
The curriculum and training programs may supplement the excellent anti-trafficking work being done by advocacy and service organizations across the state.
(3) Now, therefore, the general assembly declares that:
(a) Safe schools are a matter of statewide concern;
(b) All schools have common needs and goals to ensure a safe environment;
(c) Resources are needed to fully develop safety plans and practices in
Colorado's schools, colleges, and universities;
(d) A school safety resource center dedicated to providing evidence-based
practices and expertise to all schools is a cost-effective means to improve school
safety;
(e) Law enforcement agencies, organizations that provide services to human
trafficking survivors, and local communities would benefit from additional training
opportunities related to human trafficking;
(f) The division of criminal justice and the Colorado human trafficking council
are well placed to develop human trafficking curricula and to help provide training
in this critical area; and
(g) The Colorado school safety resource center is committed to continuing to
make available human trafficking educational resources to schools, parents, and
children.