CPS outlines 'whole school safety' framework emphasizing prevention, relationships and phased implementation

Chicago Public Schools’ chief of safety and security, Ronan Chbosky, presented the district’s Whole School Safety framework on July 30, describing a shift from a narrow security model to a prevention- and relationship-centered approach.

Chbosky summarized three interconnected pillars — physical safety, emotional safety and relational trust — and said the policy will be implemented through training and technical assistance for school leaders, expanded community engagement (with particular emphasis on student voice), improved transparency and success-tracking, and integration into each school’s continuous improvement plan. “Safety is everyone’s responsibility,” he said, arguing that prevention and trusted relationships are the most powerful safety measures.

The presentation highlighted the district’s partnership with the University of Chicago consortium to study implementation outcomes, including the effects of removing school resource officers and how reinvestment funds are used. The district said the initial phase has already started with baseline assessments and that by 2030 whole school safety planning will be integrated into each school's continuous improvement work plan.

Chbosky and participating community representatives emphasized that the policy is not a substitute for emergency preparedness or security staffing but seeks to align those functions with trauma-informed practices, mental-health supports, and family engagement. Student and parent representatives from community organizations described why students should co-design safety plans and noted that the approach intends to reduce disproportionate exclusionary discipline for students with disabilities and Black students.

The board took no formal vote on the policy that day; members thanked presenters and did not raise questions during the public presentation.