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Staff proposes clarified elementary crossing‑guard policy after RESG review; commissioners endorse next steps
Summary
City staff presented a revised elementary school crossing‑guard policy that simplifies procedures, aligns evaluation thresholds with RESG recommendations and adds equity screening. Staff will bring the document to council for introduction after final edits.
City staff presented a revised elementary school crossing‑guard policy on April 9 that incorporates a RESG (racial equity and social justice) review, simplifies the evaluation flow and adjusts thresholds used to place or discontinue crossing guards.
The revised document clarifies the program’s scope (public elementary schools within City of Madison limits), standardizes the minimum observed student count that triggers an evaluation (20 students observed during a single arrival/dismissal period, reduced from 25 in the prior policy), and consolidates scoring criteria. Staff also removed the number of students from the scoring rubric (the minimum triggers evaluation; the score then reflects hazards) and added a geographic equity screen that uses the city’s Madison Equity Areas map as a factor in evaluations.
Staff said the changes are primarily organizational and technical: the large redline in Legistar reflects reorganization rather than sweeping substantive shifts. New locations would be piloted and re‑evaluated in year one and year two; discontinuance would be considered when average observed use is fewer than 10 students per shift over two years and hazard scores fall under a lowered threshold.
The commission offered praise and asked several clarifying edits. Commissioners said the updated wording should make it easier for principals and neighborhood residents to understand how to request a guard and what data staff will use.
Next steps: staff will make minor clarifying edits, introduce the ordinance to Common Council, and return to the commission when Council refers the item back for final review.
