Chico Unified board workshop focuses on prevention, reporting tools and SRO staffing

The Chico Unified School District held a special board workshop on Nov. 5, 2025, focused on school safety protocols, reporting systems and the current status of school resource officers (SROs), district staff said.

District incident response team co-coordinator (S2) told the board the presentation would prioritize prevention — ‘‘not just what happens when something happens, but more what happens before things happen,’’ the co‑coordinator said. The staffers described a multi‑layer reporting system on the district website that routes anonymous tips and incident reports to site safety teams and district directors.

The nut graf: The discussion covered how the district triages reports, how staff should act during different alert levels, and the ongoing question of whether and how to staff SROs. Staff said funding and hiring remain the primary obstacles and that conversations with Chico Police Department are continuing; board members pressed for training, stronger visitor controls and more community outreach.

Staff described four communication/response levels: one‑way messages, incident reports, ‘‘caution’’ alerts (where teaching continues but people avoid a location) and ‘‘action’’ alerts. The co‑coordinator used district terminology, saying a ‘‘Chico Unified hold’’ keeps people inside except for designated staff, while a police‑initiated secure means nobody should be outside until police clear the scene. On active incidents, staff said the district uses the language now commonly summarized as "run, hide, fight," and that all classrooms have quick‑action guides and annual drills.

On immediate reporting, the co‑coordinator demonstrated the district landing page that lets a user pick a school and submit concerns; the system sends notifications to the site safety team and district incident response team. "It takes two clicks to report," the co‑coordinator said, and the district emphasized anonymous reporting to encourage students or parents to raise concerns.

Board members pressed staff on operational details such as chain of command when principals or assistant principals are off campus, single‑point entry and visitor sign‑in. One member said stronger single‑entry controls and visitor verification were "near and dear" to their safety priorities; staff responded that expectations are being standardized but allow some site flexibility.

Several board members and one presenter recommended expanded de‑escalation and mental‑health training. A board member urged outreach to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Butte County and recommended Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for de‑escalation. The presenter agreed and noted that NAMI had previously provided free training to district counselors.

On SROs, staff outlined recent history: an earlier grant administered by the district supported SRO positions, and responsibility later shifted to Chico PD. "Funding and staffing have been a challenge," the co‑coordinator said, adding that district staff (including Michelle Bunch) are actively seeking grant opportunities and are in discussions with Chico PD about potential staffing paths. Board members expressed differing views, with several saying they support a comprehensive approach that could include SROs alongside prevention and counseling programs.

There was no public comment on the workshop item. Staff committed to return with updates in a future meeting; the board later moved into closed session.

Ending: The board did not take a binding vote on SRO policy at the workshop. Staff said funding decisions and hiring timelines remain unresolved and that further discussion with Chico PD and possible grant options will determine next steps.