Homedale school district, a rural idaho school district will implement school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (swpbis), with a specific focus on strategies to promote school safety…

The Homedale School District in rural Idaho was awarded a $844,846 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the STOP School Violence Program (CFDA 16.839). The grant will fund the Homedale Safe Schools Project (HSSP) from October 2024 to September 2027. The project aims to implement school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) across the district's three school sites, with a focus on strategies to promote school safety. Key activities include training school staff and local law enforcement on SWPBIS, building mental health awareness and literacy, fostering resiliency, and implementing culturally relevant, equitable, and trauma-sensitive practices. The grant will help the under-resourced rural school district address behavioral, academic, safety, and mental health support needs for its diverse, economically disadvantaged student population, and provide data to inform decision-making around school climate and safety.

Homedale school district, a rural idaho school district will implement school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (swpbis), with a specific focus on strategies to promote school safety at all three school sites. Training on, and implementation of, the swpbis evidence-based framework will be augmented with additional training and support elements focused on increasing school safety, building mental health awareness and literacy, fostering resiliency, and culturally relevant, equitable and trauma sensitive practices. Like many rural communities, homedale school district is under resourced and school staff struggle to know how to cope with the many behavioral, academic, safety and mental health support needs that arise from their diverse, economically disadvantaged population. Implementing homedale safe schools project (hssp) will equip staff, as well as local law enforcement members, with the strategies and skills necessary to create safe, secure, and positive learning environments for all students. In addition, implementing hssp will assist in bridging gaps related to access to mental health support and provide valid and reliable school climate data to use in decision making. If funded, this project will have a lasting positive impact on the rural homedale community, its schools, and students.