Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE)

The Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) legislation adds a number of requirements for New York schools to improve school safety. Among the obligations imposed on schools, SAVE requires schools to have a District-Wide School Safety Plan, a Building Level Emergency Response Plan and a Code of Conduct, which, at minimum, must address:

• Appropriate dress and language;
• Security issues;
• Removal from classroom;
• Disciplinary procedures for violators;
• Policies and procedures for detention, suspension, and removal of disruptive pupil;
• Procedures for reporting code violations and imposing penalties;
• Provisions to ensure compliance with state and federal laws relating to students with disabilities;
• Provisions for notifying law enforcement of violations (e.g., violent crimes);
• Procedures for parental notification;
• Committee to review actions relating to the code;
• Procedures regarding person in need of supervision (PINS) petitions and juvenile delinquency provisions;
• Procedures for referral to human services agencies;
• Minimum suspension periods for students who are repeatedly substantially disruptive; and
• Minimum suspension periods for acts that qualify a student as violent.

SAVE also mandates that schools comply with the Uniform Violent Incident Reporting requirements; provide instruction in civility, citizenship and character; attend school violence prevention training, and comply with fingerprinting (scroll down to PREVENTION, PROTECTIONS, PENALTIES to find info. about fingerprinting) and child abuse reporting requirements.

Read more about the components of SAVE compiled by the New York State Center for School Safety here.

Read the school safety plan regulations here.

Read the Regulation by Boards of Education of Conduct on School District Policy (Regulation 55) here.

Read the 73-page Guidance Document for School Safety Plans.