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Board Action Summary​================================= 

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An Outline of the Budget Committe’s Recommendation to the Board of Education
 

New Program: Yes ​•​

No X

 

Modified Program: Yes ​•​ No X 

Subject: Less Police and More Counselors, Mental Health Professionals and Reading interventions

WHEREAS, research shows that school resource officers are associated with higher rates of suspensions,
expulsions, and arrests of students that ultimately help funnel black and brown children into the criminal justice
system at disproportionate rates;
WHEREAS, nationally schools with an SRO had nearly five times the rate of arrests for disorderly conduct as
schools without SROs; research shows that black students are three-times more likely to attend a school that
has more SROs and security on staff than mental health professionals;
WHEREAS,​ 1.6 million students nationwide attend a school with a law enforcement officer on staff but not a
school counselor;
WHEREAS,​ according to the National Institute of Mental Health,​ ​70% of youth in state and local juvenile
justice systems have a mental illness and 37% of students with a mental health condition age 14 and older
dropout of school—the highest dropout rate of any disability group.
WHEREAS,​ Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in youth ages 10 - 24 and 90% of those who died by
suicide had an underlying mental illness.
WHEREAS,​ more than 250,000 young people are arrested or referred to law enforcement in their schools
each year with school districts across the country increasing investments towards school policing, surveillance,
suspensions and expulsions, aggressive disciplinary actions, and criminal arrests, rather than counseling,
educational resources, and physical improvements to classrooms and school structures, leading to a
‘school-to-prison pipeline’’;
WHEREAS,​ students not reading on grade level by 3rd grade are four times less likely to graduate high school,
and a high school dropout is 63 times more likely to be incarcerated than college graduates;
WHEREAS,​ intensive interventions result in positive gains in reading performance for struggling readers in
grades K through 3, and children who read on grade level by elementary school are less likely to develop a
criminal record.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education shall cancel its School Resource Officer
contract with the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) and all other Police departments within
Prince George's county including municipalities.
BE FURTHER IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education directs the Chief Executive Officer to provide a plan
within 60 days that ensures that PGCPS meets all requirements of the Maryland Safe to Learn Act of 2018
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specifically that adequate local law enforcement coverage is provided. The plan must include specifics around
De-escalation training and cultural competency of existing security services staff.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, ​that the Board of Education amend the proposed budget by $5 million to
increase the amount of social workers, mental health professionals and counselors with an emphasis on hiring
individuals that reflect the demographics of our children and to hire additional academic interventionists to
target elementary school students that are behind grade level in reading.

 
 
 
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Preparation Date:
Person Preparing:

June 5, 2020

Endorsed:

David Murray
Approved:

Board Agenda Introduction Date (Budget Committee): ​June 8, 2020
Board Action Date (Consent):

June 11, 2020

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