Educator Safety Task Force: Roadmap for Action

"Our staff has been injured several times since 2020. 
Numbers are greater than 10 workman's comp claims per year."

"I was discouraged from seeking medical a attention that would have entitled
 me to workman's comp and repeatedly told I was overreacting and at fault by admin."

Training: All school staff require de-escalation training; those with students need specialized instruction. Schools must have clear incident response plans, detailing every adult's role.

Identify Crisis Response Team: Schools should clearly define their Classroom Incident Response Teams (CIRT) and how roles adjust. Leaders must ensure all staff know the CIRT and its purpose.
 

Staffing: Prioritize increased student access to mental health services and lower adult-to-student ratios. These improvements demand strategic, funded short and long-term plans.
 

Space to Recalibrate and Recharge: Implement "Tap-In/Tap-Out" for quick student and teacher breaks. Teachers should be able to request coverage via school communication.
 

Systems: Districts need flexible systems for schools to prepare adults for incident response and resource knowledge. This includes technical tools, protocols, and communication standards.
 

Conditions: School leaders must create positive climates where students feel safe and connected. Staff should be trauma-informed, and physical spaces should allow student re-regulation or separation.

Technical & Communications: Schools need reliable communication systems and equipment for instant contact between classrooms, response teams, and emergency services. Staff must be thoroughly trained on various communication methods and protocols, considering system reliability and communication range.
 

Classroom Incident Response Team (CIRT): Every school should have a trained CIRT ready for rapid response to escalating behavior, ideally with a co-responder model including security and mental health specialists. These teams need clear roles and should train regularly through exercises, sometimes involving school staff.
 

Immediate Response Protocols: All staff must know their roles and responsibilities during incident response, from the response team to neighboring rooms. Protocols should be tiered by severity, prioritizing safety, de-escalation, and a quick transition to post-incident management.
 

Physical Space: Effective incident management requires strategic use of physical space to separate aggressive students and provide safe areas for others. Response teams and staff should know options for utilizing various spaces, like empty classrooms or common areas.
 

School Community Management: Schools must plan to contain disruptions and minimize impact on those not directly involved in incidents. The priority is ensuring overall school safety and providing responders adequate space to resolve situations without further disruption.

Educator Supports: Districts must create trauma-informed plans to support staff after student assaults, ensuring adequate time off, wellness care, and clear access to resources like counseling and workers' compensation. These plans should be part of state safety frameworks.
 

Processes to Support All Affected: Schools need formal processes to document, debrief, and learn from violent incidents. These processes should also support other staff and students affected by the event.
 

Restorative Processes: Schools should appropriately explore restorative practices as a holistic response to incidents. These can involve the student, adult, or focus on returning the classroom or school community to learning.
 

Reporting System & Standards: The state must mandate schools to report minimal incident facts to the Colorado Department of Education. This will provide crucial data on the problem's scope and support needs, addressing underreporting.
 

Communications: Schools require clear policies for timely and private communication about incidents to directly impacted families. Standards for broader communication to families and staff should prioritize safety, privacy, and the impact of information sharing.

Everyone deserves to be safe

Public Awareness: Inform leaders and the public about the scope of student violence and its impact on educator satisfaction and retention.

Alternative Placements: Address the dramatic reduction in Colorado's alternative education campuses (AECs). State leaders should increase AECs and support staffing/transportation to serve more students with behavioral needs.
 

Affective Needs Centers: Expand in-school Affective Needs Centers (ANCs) for students with significant social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. These programs provide structured environments for skill development while maintaining academic access.
 

Educator & Administrator Training: All preparation and training programs should include de-escalation skills for educators and incident response/positive culture for administrators. Professional development providers should offer courses in de-escalation, crisis response, and restorative processes.
 

Continuous Learning & Improvement: State and district leaders must continuously learn from educator experiences and school climate dynamics. This ongoing learning should inform supports for schools, response protocols, and educator aid.
 

Educator and School Staff: These professionals identify risks, de-escalate incidents, and manage real-time situations. They must participate in training, foster a culture of belonging, and be familiar with response protocols and self-care resources.
 

Building Leaders: School leaders own the school culture and comprehensive incident response plans. They must articulate a welcoming vision, prepare for all scenarios, and advocate for necessary resources and system changes.
 

District Leaders: District leaders set system-wide standards and protocols for incident response. They advocate for resources, hold building leaders accountable, and facilitate partnerships with external experts and emergency services.
 

State Agencies: State agencies like the Colorado Department of Education and Office of School Safety should collaborate to provide training and technical assistance. They may also mandate data collection.
 

Educator Preparation: Preparation programs and professional development providers should work with schools to include critical skills. These include de-escalation, crisis response, trauma training, and promoting a culture of belonging.

"I wish I had been humanized. I wish I had worked with supervisors who acknowledged
 me as a person who was injured and made an effort to respond to the root cause of 
inadequate support for a student in need of better mental health support."

ESTF Membership List
 

Legislatively Designated Appointees

Honorary Members