Despite calls for service to school resource officers at Lincoln Public Schools increasing slightly during the 2022-2023 year, officials say there is little evidence of a school-to-prison pipeline resulting from a law enforcement presence in schools.
Since LPS added six Lincoln Police Department officers in the district's 12 middle schools in 2018 there has been a recurring fear that more students will find themselves in the juvenile system as a result.
However, according to a 194-page report presented Thursday night at the Safe and Successful Kids Board meeting, the data may prove otherwise.
Of the 1,443 calls for service at middle and high schools during the 2022-23 school year, only 265 resulted in a referral or citation, down 34% from an average of 402 referrals during previous school years. Only two students were lodged at the Youth Services Center, the same number as the previous year.
Barb Baier, who serves on the board, has raised concerns in the past about the presence of law enforcement officers in schools. But, after hearing the report, she said she was more hopeful.
“The reality is that SROs are not part of the school-to-prison pipeline. I think that is huge,†Baier said. “That does not mean we do not have disparities, and this report allows us to see that.â€
Even though the number of students to be lodged remained low, the report showed students of color were disproportionately more likely to be the suspects and victims of incidents resulting in a call for service.
Officials measure disproportionality through a disparity index, which looks for over- or under-representation of particular groups. In this case, LPD looked at how many students who identify as white, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Native or two or more groups, or are English language learners or are enrolled in the free- and reduced-lunch program, were victims or suspects of calls.
A disparity index of 1 is proportional, but anything higher means there was over-representation.
According to the report, Black and Native students, as well as those who receive free and reduced lunches, are above the disparity index for both victims and suspects.
Black students had a victim index of 1.99, up from the previous year's 1.37, while Native students decreased from 2.56 to 1.99. In the suspect category, indices for both groups rose last year, with the index for Black students increasing from 2.03 to 2.93, and the one for Native students rising from 1.92 to 2.2.
That is something the board is looking to improve as the school resource program continues.
Board member Kathy Danek asked about the possibility of students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community or religious groups being added to the data set to be more inclusive of all students.
While these groups are not currently included in the report, they potentially could play a role in the future. Either way, Jeff Peterson, crime analysis unit manager at LPD, said police already keep track of those groups in terms of hate crimes, even if it’s not shown in the data.
“We can parse out hate crimes,†said Peterson, who helped present the data. “Very few hate crimes occur in the city of Lincoln, but we have that data at our fingertips.â€
This was the fourth year in a row that the joint board made up of members of the Lincoln Board of Education and the City Council has compiled data regarding school resource officers. An agreement in 2018 added six resource officers to the district’s 12 middle schools, while an officer has been assigned to each high school for years.
The pandemic altered the data collected for two years, as students entered a period marked by hybrid and remote learning.
Last year, calls for service rose by about 200 from the 2021-22 school year. More than 850 of the calls were at the high schools, while nearly 600 were at the middle schools — both up from the previous year.
Most calls came from teachers or staff, with administrators a close second. Calls from administrators increased by 56% this year compared to the four-year average. Most calls that resulted in a referral came from administration.
During last school year, the Police Department investigated five complaints against school resource officers, all of which were classified as exonerated. Officers received 48 hours of training — double the required amount — for topics related to mental health, ethics, diversity and crisis intervention, among others.
Additionally, both in- and out-of-school suspensions increased last year, by 10.1% and 9.6%, respectively. In total, 2,644 secondary students experienced at least one in-school suspension, while 2,360 students experienced an out-of-school suspension.
On the other hand, expulsions were down from 101 in 2021-22 to 77 last year.
Much like calls for service, suspensions and expulsions for middle and high school students occurred at a disproportionate level to students of color and those who identify as male.
Board members, like Danek, are hopeful, however, that LPS’ new cellphone policy and electronic hall pass system will cause a decrease in both suspensions and calls for service in next year’s data report.
The district implemented no-phone-zones in both middle and high schools at the start of this year, banning students from the use of personal devices in classrooms. At the same time, a new hall pass system was introduced to help cut down on crowding in hallways and restrooms. Since its implementation, teachers, administration and district staff have reported fewer behavioral issues in students.
“A cellphone makes a big difference,†said Kathy Danek, a member of the board. “I’ll be curious to see if there’s any data that comes up with that.â€
The report also included information regarding perception of school resource officers by students, parents and certified staff.
In total, more than 13,600 students responded to a survey asking questions such as if they were aware there was an officer at their school, if they feel safer with the officer there and about their experiences with school resource officers.
In general, students had relatively positive responses, along with the 2,100 staff members and 780 parents to fill out the survey.
One goal of the board is to increase the survey response rate, especially among parents.
Baier, who also serves on the school board, had good things to say following the report, thanking LPS and LPD for their work in compiling the extensive data.
“I think it’s spectacular that we’re wrapping our arms around this issue, and creating accountability and transparency,†Baier said. “The most important thing is that we’re saving kids.â€