Commission completes draft plans for school safety

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A commission studying school safety in Arkansas has completed its draft of recommendations it will include in a report to Gov. Asa Hutchinson on ways to prevent, defend and recover from school-related violence.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that the School Safety Commission on Friday completed the draft after focusing on school building and bus security and ways to pay for the measures.

The recommendations include allowing schools to receive state funding for fully enclosed walkways between buildings, video surveillance and a statewide school bus safety plan. It also calls for the state’s congressional delegation and others to help continue and expand federal grants for building security features.

The final report is to also include recommendations for mental health programs and hiring armed law enforcement and security officers when staff and children are attending class or extracurricular activities.

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