NASP President John Kelly testified before the Federal School Safety Commission regarding effective ways to create and maintain safe schools for all children. He urged the Commission to review the Framework for Safe and Successful Schools developed by NASP and other key education leadership organizations. He highlighted the imperative to increase access school mental health services and specifically the number of school psychologists, school counselors and school social workers; the importance of balancing physical and psychological safety to support a positive school climate, including employing positive discipline strategies; and the critical role of trained multi-disciplinary school safety and crisis teams. He also reiterated NASP's position that arming school staff is not appropriate or effective and access to firearms in schools should be limited to commissioned law enforcement officers or SROs. NASP is committed to working the Administration, Congress and other policy leaders to ensure that schools have the capacity to keep all students and staff safe.

Read John's statement