The safety and wellness of children remains an urgent priority for Washington, DC. This report from the School Safety Enhancement Committee represents an important contribution. The Committee, established by the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Support Act of 2023, convened for the first time in November 2023 and worked over four months with staff from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education to develop this report.

The Committee here presents a set of highly actionable recommendations. These recommendations emerged from deep community and stakeholder engagement, most notably with young people. In addition, the Committee evaluated our existing school-based safety work, conducted data analyses, and explored the relevant local and national research. The Committee endeavored, through all of this, to remain focused on the root causes of school-related violence and thereby to prioritize prevention and mitigation efforts.

Consistent with prior, similar efforts, the Committee sustained a belief that the safest place for young people is in schools. Focus groups and data analysis supported this belief. However, the Committee also came to understand that the world which today’s young people inhabit is rapidly evolving – from the mercurial presence of social media to pandemic-provoked health and mental health needs to changing attitudes towards school attendance. Therefore, the Committee also asserted in several recommendations ways in which the system should adapt to these evolutions.

For any questions or comments about the report and recommendations, email Hillary Desir at [email protected].