Hamilton county schools in chattanooga, tennessee, will implement a comprehensive culture and climate initiative to improve school climate and reduce school violence, substance use, and…

The Hamilton County Board of Education in Chattanooga, Tennessee, received a $998,866 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the STOP (Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing) School Violence Program (CFDA 16.839). The funding will support a comprehensive initiative to improve school climate and reduce school violence, substance use, and disproportionate disciplinary practices across the district's 78 schools serving approximately 45,000 students. Key activities include performing school culture assessments, providing professional development on creating a "culture of care", establishing climate committees, and developing an anti-vaping program. The 3-year project aims to foster a safe, positive school environment, reduce discipline disparities, and curb the growing trend of student vaping.

Hamilton county schools in chattanooga, tennessee, will implement a comprehensive culture and climate initiative to improve school climate and reduce school violence, substance use, and disproportionate exclusionary discipline. The goals of the proposed project are to establish a safe, positive school environment that promotes overall wellbeing and empowerment of students; reduce disproportionality in exclusionary discipline, chronic absenteeism, and bullying; and reduce vaping among students. To accomplish these goals, hamilton county schools will implement a comprehensive, multifaceted approach emphasizing school culture, climate, and belonging. Hamilton county schools will partner with the hamilton county health department to develop and implement this initiative. Activities will include performing culture walk-throughs of schools; providing culture of care professional development opportunities for educators; establishing culture and climate committees to lead the charge in improving school climate; and developing a targeted anti-vaping initiative to combat this increasingly widespread, dangerous trend in schools.