Colorado Politics

Polis wants to set minimum safety standards at Colorado schools

Gov. Jared Polis has set his sights on school safety in Colorado.

The governor wants to see more schools with single entry points, school resource officers and on-site counseling, he said in an interview with CPR. Polis’ main goal is to to set minimum standards across the board.

“It’s a question of getting everybody on the same page – and that means Republicans and Democrats in our state legislature and school districts – on what we could do to make sure that people are safe to go to school, no matter where they live,” Polis said.

Colorado schools have had five shootings since and including the one at Columbine High School in 1999, with the most recent attack at the STEM School Highlands Ranch in May.

A state audit released Sept. 18 evaluated current safety programs and determined that there is no way to tell whether they are actually effective, despite investments of over $103 million in the last three years.

Some programs duplicated efforts, according to the audit, and lawmakers have questioned their performance.

“The burning issue for me is efficiency,” said audit committee chair and Democratic state Sen. Nancy Todd of Aurora. “We have been very reactive in the legislature – let’s run a bill and fix it – without coordinating or looking at what’s already in place. … We are all very concerned about every single dollar going to our schools,” as well as prioritizing the safety of teachers and students. 

A school resource officer.
(The Gazette file photo)
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