(1)  After consultation with appropriate agencies and officials including the Department of Education, each school district is encouraged to develop and adopt a comprehensive policy to reduce gang involvement, violent activities and drug abuse by public school students in the school district, including but not limited to:

• (a)  A statement that evaluates:
• (A)  The nature and extent of gang involvement, violent activities and drug abuse by public school students of the school district; and
• (B)  The impact of gang involvement, violent activities and drug abuse on the ability of public schools in the school district to meet curriculum requirements and improve the attendance of public school students.
• (b)  A statement that emphasizes the need to reduce gang involvement, violent activities and drug abuse by public school students.
• (c)  Strategies to reduce gang involvement, violent activities and drug abuse by students of the school district considering the needs of the public school students.
• (d)  Methods to communicate conflict resolution skills to the teachers and public school students of the school district.
• (e)  Strategies to inform the teachers of the school district, the parents of public school students and the public about the policy the school district developed pursuant to this section.

(2)  As used in this section, “gang” means a group that identifies itself through the use of a name, unique appearance or language, including hand signs, the claiming of geographical territory or the espousing of a distinctive belief system that frequently results in criminal activity.