"The purpose of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Office for Safe Schools’ Targeted Grants for School Resource Officer (SRO) is to assist school entities in funding programs which address school violence by establishing or enhancing school security, including costs associated with the training and compensating SROs"

(a) General rule.— A school police officer who has been granted powers under section 1306-C(a)(3) or (b) or has been authorized to carry a firearm must, before entering upon the duties of the office, satisfy the following: (1) Successfully complete basic training as required by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission under 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D (relating to municipal police education and training) or has graduated from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy, has been employed as a State trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police and has separated from that service in good standing. (2) (i) Successfully complete the Basic School Resource Officer Course offered by the National Association of School Resource Officers or an equivalent course of instruction approved by the commission. (ii) A school police officer who is employed or contracted by a school entity or nonpublic school before September 2, 2019, shall have until the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year to complete the instruction. (b) In-service training.— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school police officer shall also attend annual in-service training approved by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission under 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D.

(a) Powers and duties.— A school entity or nonpublic school may confer the following powers and duties upon school resource officers: (1) To assist in the identification of physical changes in the environment which may reduce crime in or around the school. (2) To assist in developing school policy which addresses crime and to recommend procedural changes. (3) To develop and educate students in crime prevention and safety. (4) To train students in conflict resolution, restorative justice and crime awareness. (5) To address crime and violence issues, gangs and drug activities affecting or occurring in or around a school. (6) To develop or expand community justice initiatives for students. (a.1) Training. (1) Prior to entering upon the duties of the office, a school resource officer shall successfully complete the Basic School Resource Officer Course of Instruction offered by the National Association of School Resource Officers or an equivalent course of instruction approved by the commission. (2) A school resource officer who is stationed in a school entity or nonpublic school before September 2, 2019, shall have until the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year to complete the instruction.

(b) Training.— The following shall apply: (1) Prior to entering upon the duties of the office, a school security guard shall successfully complete the Basic School Resource Officer Course offered by the National Association of School Resource Officers or an equivalent course of instruction approved by the commission. (2) An unarmed school security guard who is employed or contracted by a school entity or nonpublic school before September 2, 2019, shall have until the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year to complete the instruction. (3) An armed school security guard who is employed or contracted by a school entity or nonpublic school before September 2, 2019, shall have until February 28, 2020, to complete the instruction under paragraph (1) unless an extension is approved through the following process: (i) The governing body of a school entity or nonpublic school may approve an extension of the deadline specified in this paragraph for armed school security guards to complete the required instruction due to a hardship in complying with the deadline. The deadline may be extended to no later than the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. The following shall apply: (A) The governing body must determine that complying with the instruction deadline would present a hardship for the school entity or nonpublic school. (B) The governing body of a school entity which is subject to 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings) may discuss the issue of a hardship extension in executive session, except that approval of the hardship extension must occur at a public meeting. (C) The school entity or nonpublic school shall submit the approved hardship extension to the Office of Safe Schools within the department not later than 15 days from the date of approval. Any documentation submitted under this clause may not be subject to the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law. (ii) For the purposes of this section, a hardship shall include any of the following: (A) Increased risk to students, staff or visitors due to the absence of school security guards while school is in session because of compliance with the instruction deadline. (B) Deployment or active military service, illness, family emergency, death in the immediate family or other approved leave of absence which would prevent school security guards from complying with the instruction deadline.

The commission shall have the following duties under this article: (1) In conjunction with the department and the Pennsylvania State Police, periodically reassess the training requirements for all school security personnel, including the Basic School Resource Officer Course of Instruction offered by the National Association of School Resource Officers. (2) Establish criteria for certifying approved third- party vendors to provide school security guard services to school entities and nonpublic schools. (3) Publish and post on the commission’s publicly accessible Internet website a listing of all approved third-party vendors for school security guard services. (4) Submit an annual report to the General Assembly on school security, including all data collected from school entities and nonpublic schools and recommendations for improvements in school security personnel training requirements.

(a) There is hereby established in the Department of Education an Office for Safe Schools. (b) The office shall have the power and duty to implement the following: … (3) To provide direct training to school employes, parents, law enforcement officials and communities on effective measures to prevent and combat school violence. ... (c.1) (1) In addition to the powers and duties set forth under subsections (b) and (c), the office is authorized to make targeted grants to school entities, municipalities, local law enforcement agencies and approved vendors to fund programs which address school violence by establishing or enhancing school security, including costs associated with the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers. Municipalities or local law enforcement agencies that receive grants under this subsection shall, with the prior consent of the governing board of the school entity or nonpublic school, assign school resource officers to carry out their official duties on the premises of the school entity or nonpublic school. ... (iv) For school entities, municipalities, local law enforcement agencies and nonpublic schools that apply for funding for the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers under subsection (c.1), give priority to school entities, municipalities, local law enforcement agencies and nonpublic schools that utilize school resource officers or school police officers who have completed additional training recommended by the Department of Education relating to interaction with all children and adolescents within a school setting. (v) For school entities or nonpublic schools that apply for funding for school police officers under subsection (c.1), give priority to school entities and nonpublic schools that utilize school police officers who satisfy all of the following: (A) Are retired Federal agents or retired State, municipal or military police officers. (B) Are independent contractors of the school entity or nonpublic school. (C) Are compensated on an hourly basis and receive no other compensation or fringe benefits from the school entity or nonpublic school. (D) Have completed such annual training as shall be required by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission pursuant to 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D (relating to municipal police education and training). (E) Are in satisfaction of the requirements of section 111. (F) In the case of a school entity, have been indemnified by the school entity pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 8548 (relating to indemnity). (G) Are utilized by a school entity or nonpublic school that has not employed a school police officer within the three years immediately preceding the effective date of this clause. Nothing in this clause shall be construed to impact on grant decisions for school entities, municipalities or local law enforcement agencies that apply for funding for hiring of school resource officers pursuant to subsection (c.1).

"Prior to entering upon the duties of the office, each SRO must successfully complete the Basic School Resource Officer Course of Instruction offered by NASROOpens In A New Window or an equivalent course of instruction approved by PCCD."