Report: Colorado’s School Safety Programs May Not be Working

Report: Colorado’s School Safety Programs May Not be Working

No one is checking whether Colorado’s school safety programs are making students safer, and it’s possible that some schools are getting duplicate programs while others are being left out.

  • By Sherelle Black
  • September 20, 2019

After auditors examined 12 state-supported school safety programs in Colorado, they found the state had uncoordinated efforts and gaps in services, according to a report from the state auditor released Wednesday.

The report also noted that no one has been analyzing or checking to see whether the programs are effective. 

The 12 programs audited included the Safe2Tell tipline, emergency preparedness and improving school climate. The programs are spread across four state departments, according to the report. 

The auditors found that no school district accessed all of the state’s programs, and of the 12 programs, the most frequently used by school districts was the tipline, with 78 percent of districts accessing it.

Only 13 districts used six or more of the programs.

However, the report indicated Safe2Tell and the School Safety Resource Center have not coordinated their messaging or coverage of school districts. In general, the auditors concluded the programs are not centralized and there is no consolidated information about the programs, including their purposes.

In a letter responding to the audit’s findings, Attorney General Phil Weiser said Safe2Tell previously gave training sessions that could overlap with other agencies’ efforts, but it recently narrowed its focus.

“Today, in contrast, we focus our trainings exclusively on the use of Safe2Tell as a tool — how to promote it and deploy it to keep our schools safe,” Weiser wrote.

About the Author

Sherelle Black is a Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

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