• In Indiana, the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation has proposed a referendum to improve school safety and increase counseling services for children. The referendum would open up $3.33 million per year to make schools safer. A new Indiana law allows schools to pursue a referendum to pay solely for safety needs. The district would spend 70% of the money on “social and emotional” services and 30% on school resource officers and building improvements.
• In Pennsylvania, House Bill 1622, also known as “Phillip’s Law,” has been introduced after an 11-year-old boy was bullied in school and died by suicide. Under the provisions of the legislation, the state will commit to put more mental health professionals in schools to help the rising number of students struggling with anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. The Pennsylvania School Safety Task Force issued a Report calling for more mental health support.
• In Indiana, the South Bend School District in 2013 created a department to tackle the chronic problem of black students being disciplined at higher rates than others. New data show that the suspension and expulsion rates for all students including black students, have continued to increase. Neighboring districts School City of Mishawaka and Penn-Harris-Madison have seen the opposite happen. The Department of Justice is visiting several South Bend schools to investigate and offer recommendations regarding any disparities in discipline procedures.
• In Indiana, the Indiana Youth Tobacco Survey from the Indiana State Department of Health just released its most recent youth tobacco survey, finding that the use of e-cigarettes increased 400 percent among middle and high school students from 2012 to 2019. Researchers also found that 20 percent of high school students use vaping products regularly.