Duluth schools report increased SRO visibility and restorative outcomes; survey response rates and training cadence flagged for follow-up

Director of Secondary Schools (presentation lead identified in packet) and Sergeant Mike Jamber presented the school resource officer (SRO) program evaluation to the Duluth Public Schools Committee of the Whole on Oct. 1, saying the assessment checklist developed by an advisory committee showed SROs met expectations in relationship-building, professional development and communication.

The district reported marked year-over-year increases in metrics the SRO team tracks as evidence of relationship- and trust-building: student group visits rose (from 28 to 98 in the period cited), after-school activity attendance was high (165 as of May reporting, with additional events later in the year), and positive student interactions increased substantially. The district’s student-family survey responses that directly referenced SRO interactions indicated 83.8 percent of respondents viewed SRO visibility positively and 91 percent of those respondents said they felt comfortable speaking with an SRO.

The presenters emphasized restorative approaches: the district logged 254 restorative-action opportunities during the most recent year in which an officer could have issued a citation but, after consultation, the team instead pursued restorative measures. By comparison, the district reported…