The Madison Metropolitan School District and the Madison Police Department received a $250,000 grant from the federal government to train staff on restorative crisis intervention.
The grant, administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, was created by the STOP School Violence Act of 2018, designed to help school officials defuse potentially violent situations.
MPD Chief Mike Koval said in a statement Friday the funds would help train officers on how to respond to issues in ways that promote restorative justice rather than through tickets or arrests. Restorative justice focuses police actions on rehabilitation and reconciliation instead of punishment.
MMSD plans to promote school safety through creating an environment where students feel more connected to the school community, citing a recent Centers for Disease Control study that found decreased levels of school violence when students feel connected.
“School safety is every district’s top priority, and it relies on our proactive systems and protocols as well as the strength of our school communities,” MMSD Safety and Security Coordinator Joe Balles said. “Through this grant, we’ll be able to do more critical work on building relationships and strong school climates.”
Part of the funds will also go toward training school staff on dealing with students having mental health crises and how to support the student body following a crisis. Madison schools will receive upgrades to security facilities like locks and cameras.
The grant will fund a project coordinator who will train staff in each school on dealing with high-level threat incidents.
