Local school boards and private or religious schools may employ school security officers, as defined in § 9.1-101, for the purposes set forth therein. Such school security officer may carry a firearm in the performance of his duties if (i) within 10 years immediately prior to being hired by the local school board or private or religious school he (a) was an active law-enforcement officer as defined in §9.1-101 in the Commonwealth or (b) was employed by a law-enforcement agency of the United States or any state or political subdivision thereof and his duties were substantially similar to those of a law-enforcement officer as defined in § 9.1-101; (ii) he retired or resigned from his position as a law-enforcement officer in good standing; (iii) he meets the training and qualifications described in subsection C of § 18.2-308.016; (iv) he has provided proof of completion of a training course that includes training in active shooter emergency response, emergency evacuation procedure, and threat assessment to the Department of Criminal Justice Services pursuant to subdivision 42 of § 9.1-102, provided that if he received such training from a local law-enforcement agency he received the training in the locality in which he is employed; (v) the local school board or private or religious school solicits input from the chief law-enforcement officer of the locality regarding the qualifications of the school security officer and receives verification from such chief law-enforcement officer that the school security officer is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing, purchasing, or transporting a firearm; and (vi) the local school board or private or religious school grants him the authority to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties.

The Department, under the direction of the Board, which shall be the policy-making body for carrying out the duties and powers hereunder, shall have the power and duty to:

• 54. Establish compulsory minimum training Standard for certification and recertification of law-enforcement officers serving as school resource officers. Such training shall be specific to the role and responsibility of a law-enforcement officer working with students in a school environment

A. From the funds appropriated for such purpose and from the gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf, there is established (i) the School Resource Officer Grants Program, to be administered by the Board, in consultation with the Board of Education, and (ii) a special nonreverting fund within the state treasury known as the School Resource Officer Incentive Grants Fund, hereinafter known as the "Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller, and any moneys remaining in the Fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Interest earned on such funds shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it.

Subject to the authority of the Board to provide for its disbursement, the Fund shall be disbursed to award matching grants to local law-enforcement agencies and local school boards that have established a collaborative agreement to employ uniformed school resource officers, as defined in § 9.1-101, in middle and high schools within the relevant school division. The Board may disburse annually up to five percent of the Fund for the training of the school resource officers. School resource officers shall be certified law-enforcement officers and shall be employed to help ensure safety and prevent truancy and violence in schools.

Every full-time or part-time law-enforcement officer employed as a school resource officer after July 1, 2020, shall comply with the compulsory minimum training Standard for school resource officers established by the Board within a period of time fixed by the Board. The Department shall ensure that such required training is available throughout the Commonwealth.

A. From such funds as may be appropriated, the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (the Center) is hereby established within the Department. The Center shall:

• 1. Provide training for Virginia public school personnel in school safety, on evidence-based antibullying tactics based on the definition of bullying in Section 22.1-276.01 , and in the effective identification of students who may be at risk for violent behavior and in need of special services or assistance;
• 2. Serve as a resource and referral center for Virginia school divisions by conducting research, sponsoring workshops, and providing information regarding current school safety concerns, such as conflict management and peer mediation, bullying as defined in Section 22.1-276.01, school facility design and technology, current state and federal statutory and regulatory school safety requirements, and legal and constitutional issues regarding school safety and individual rights;
• 3. Maintain and disseminate information to local school divisions on effective school safety initiatives in Virginia and across the nation;
• 4. Develop a case management tool for the collection and reporting of data by threat assessment teams pursuant to Section 22.1-79.4;
• 5. Collect, analyze, and disseminate various Virginia school safety data, including school safety audit information submitted to it pursuant to Section 22.1-279.8, collected by the Department;
• 6. Encourage the development of partnerships between the public and private sectors to promote school safety in Virginia;
• 7. Provide technical assistance to Virginia school divisions in the development and implementation of initiatives promoting school safety, including threat assessment-based protocols with such funds as may be available for such purpose;
• 8. Develop a memorandum of understanding between the Director of the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to ensure collaboration and coordination of roles and responsibilities in areas of mutual concern, such as school safety audits and crime prevention;
• 9. Provide training for and certification of school security officers, as defined in Section 9.1-101 and consistent with Section 9.1-110;
• 10. Develop, in conjunction with the Department of State Police, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and the Department of Education, a model critical incident response training program for public school personnel and others providing services to schools that shall also be made available to private schools in the Commonwealth;
• 11. In consultation with the Department of Education, provide schools with a model policy for the establishment of threat assessment teams, including procedures for the assessment of and intervention with students whose behavior poses a threat to the safety of school staff or students; and
• 12. Develop a model memorandum of understanding setting forth the respective roles and responsibilities of local school boards and local law-enforcement agencies regarding the use of school resource officers. Such model memorandum of understanding may be used by local school boards and local law-enforcement agencies to satisfy the requirements of Section 22.1-280.2:3.

B. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall cooperate with the Center and, upon request, assist the Center in the performance of its duties and responsibilities.

This document addresses required trainings for SROs

A. In addition to meeting all the hiring requirements of the employing school board, all school security officers who enter upon the duties of such office on or after September 1, 2004, are required to meet the following minimum certification and training requirements. Such person shall:

• 1. Undergo a background investigation to include fingerprint-based criminal history record inquiry of both the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Results of such inquiries shall be examined by the employing school division within 30 days of date of hire;
• 2. Have a high school diploma, have passed the General Educational Development exam, or have passed the National External Diploma Program;
• 3. Be a minimum of 21 years of age;
• 4. Possess a valid driver's license if required by the duties of office to operate a motor vehicle;
• 5. Successfully complete basic first aid training. The level and substance of such training shall be at the discretion of the employing school division;
• 6. Comply with compulsory minimum entry-level training requirements approved by the board:
• a. Every school security officer hired on or after September 1, 2004, is required to comply with the compulsory minimum training Standard within 60 days of the date of hire as a school security officer.
• b. The compulsory minimum training shall consist of a Department of Criminal Justice Services-approved security officer training course developed by the department. Such training shall include but not be limited to:
• (1) The role and responsibility of school security officers;
• (2) Relevant state and federal laws;
• (3) School and personal liability issues;
• (4) Security awareness in the school environment;
• (5) Mediation and conflict resolution;
• (6) Disaster and emergency response; and
• (7) Student behavioral dynamics.
• c. The compulsory minimum training shall include a test for each module approved and provided by the department with a minimum passing grade of 80% on each module; and
• 7. Submit to the department a properly completed and signed application for certification from the localities in a format provided by the department.

B. All costs associated with the background investigation, submission of fingerprints for criminal history record inquiries, and basic first aid training to meet the hiring requirements are the responsibility of that locality.

C. The department may grant an extension of the time limit for completion of the compulsory minimum training Standard under the following documented conditions:

• 1. Illness or injury;
• 2. Military service;
• 3. Special duty required and performed in the public interest;
• 4. Administrative leave, full-time educational leave or suspension pending investigation or adjudication of a crime; or
• 5. Any other reasonable situation documented by the employing school division superintendent or designee.

D. The director may grant an exemption or partial exemption from the compulsory minimum training Standard set forth in this chapter to a law-enforcement officer of the Commonwealth who has had previous experience and training as provided in § 9.1-114 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Applications for recertification shall be received by the department at least 30 days before certification expiration. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure recertification applications are filed with the department. A valid certification as a school security officer is required in order to remain eligible for employment as a school security officer. If the school security officer recertification application is on file with the department 30 days prior to expiration, the school security officer may continue to operate in the school security officer capacity pending notification by the department.

B. Applicants for recertification must complete 16 hours of in-service training during each two-year period after initial certification. The in-service training must be school security officer related to include a legal update and other relevant topics approved by the department.

C. Individuals whose certification is expired shall comply with the initial certification requirements set forth in this chapter.

D. The department, subject to its discretion, retains the right to grant an extension of the recertification time limit and requirements under the following conditions:

• 1. Illness or injury;
• 2. Military service;
• 3. Special duty required and performed in the public interest;
• 4. Administrative leave, full-time educational leave or suspension pending investigation or adjudication of a crime; or
• 5. Any other reasonable situation documented by the employing school division superintendent or designee.

E. Request for extensions shall:

• 1. Be submitted in writing and signed by the school superintendent or designee prior to the expiration date of the time limit for completion of the requirement;
• 2. Indicate the projected date for the completion of the requirement.