Brooks to promote Indiana’s School Safety Specialist Academy as national model

U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) thinks schools across America could benefit from certified school safety specialists, which her home state of Indiana trains and certifies to keep public schools safe.

During an April 3 roundtable discussion in Indianapolis that concentrated on a mutual pledge to maintain school safety, Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick emphasized the ongoing importance of the IDOE’s state-mandated School Safety Specialist Academy for Rep. Brooks.

“Each day, Indiana schools set safety as a top priority. We train; we partner. We fully understand the importance surrounding this enormous responsibility,” Superintendent McCormick said during the meeting.

Established in 1999, the School Safety Specialist Academy trains and certifies school safety specialists who lead the development and implementation of school safety practices within their school district. All Indiana public schools must participate in the academy, which ensures specialists are trained in school safety, security, intervention and prevention, and emergency preparedness planning through certifications, trainings and best practices. Currently, more than 2,400 school safety specialists have been certified through the program, according to McCormick.

“The challenges each school faces when working to keep students safe are complex,” the congresswoman said. “The School Safety Specialist Academy understands this and provides schools with the tools and training necessary to implement an efficient emergency plan that works best for their facility, faculty and students.”

Superintendent McCormick said the IDOE remains committed to providing the necessary resources and guidance to Indiana’s schools “to keep safety at the forefront of daily operations.”

Rep. Brooks, who expressed being proud of both McCormick and the state education department for their work, said she will “promote Indiana’s School Safety Specialist Academy to be viewed as a national model for school safety preparedness and training.”

“Ensuring our children are safe at school is a top priority for me in Congress, and from what I have heard from students and school administrators across the Fifth District, as well as from the participants in today’s meeting, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to school safety,” Rep. Brooks added.