School safety remains the paramount concern for parents, students, and policy leaders across America. That’s why we were thrilled to see two powerful interstate legislative groups from CSG’s Midwestern Legislative Conference join forces to tackle this issue head-on. They recently hosted a crucial webinar exploring proven, school-based strategies and state policies designed to protect our children.

We were honored to have the founder of Make Our Schools Safe, Lori Alhadeff, present the Alyssa’s Law on the webinar. As the mother of Alyssa, the law’s namesake and a victim of the Parkland shooting, Lori passionately detailed the recent legislative victories for Alyssa’s Law in Ohio and other states across the nation.

Alyssa’s Law is more than a policy; it’s a tangible action step that can be implemented today to ensure a swift, effective response when it matters most.

The conversation went beyond immediate response, focusing on crucial proactive measures states must adopt.

The webinar featured an essential presentation by Jennifer DePaoli, a Senior Researcher at the Learning Policy Institute. She provided state legislators and other leaders with actionable insights on how states can significantly strengthen their Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) system policies for schools.

BTA systems are designed to identify students who may pose a threat to themselves or others, allowing schools to intervene early, connect students with support, and prevent violence before it ever occurs.

Attendees also received an update on the latest successful laws recently passed in Midwestern states, further solidifying the region’s commitment to safer educational environments.

This critical discussion was co-hosted by the Midwestern Legislative Conference Corrections & Public Safety Forum and Education & Workforce Committee. We applaud these legislative groups for prioritizing student safety and bringing attention to these vital, actionable policies!