SB 786 — Youth Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Pilot Program

Florida Senate - 2024 CS for SB 786 By Senator Powell 24-01517-24 2024786__ A bill to be entitled An act relating to the YouthCommittee Conflicton ResolutionEducation andPre-K Peer-12; Mediation Pilot Program;

and Senator Powell 581-02967-24 2024786c1 A bill to be entitled An act relating to the Youth Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Pilot Program;

requiring the Commissioner of Education to select a certain number of middle or high schools to participate in the pilot program;

requiring the commissioner to select a conflict resolution curriculum for use in the program;

providing participating middle or high schools and the nonprofit organization responsibilities;

The purpose of the program is to reduce juvenile violence by equipping students with essential skills for peaceful conflict resolution through the use of the Page 1 of 3 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2024 CS for SB 786 24-01517-24581-02967-24 2024786__2024786c1 Internationalby Researchequipping andstudents Exchangewith Board’sessential (IREX)skills Conflictfor Resolutionpeaceful andconflict Peerresolution Mediationthrough Toolkit.the use of a conflict resolution curriculum selected by the Commissioner of Education.

(1)(a) Middle and high schools within thethis state shall apply to the Department of Education, in a format and by a date prescribed by the department, to participate in the program.

(b) The Commissionercommissioner of Education shall select five middle or high schools to participate in the program.

(c) The commissioner shall select a nonprofitconflict organizationresolution capablecurriculum offor workinguse within the department and participating schools to oversee the pilot program’s implementation and analyze the data resulting from the pilot program.

(2)(d) AThe commissioner shall select a nonprofit organization capable of working with the department and participating middleschools schoolto shall:oversee the pilot program’s implementation and to analyze the data resulting from the pilot program.

(a)(2) ImplementA IREX’sparticipating Conflictmiddle Resolutionor andhigh Peerschool Mediationshall: Toolkit into the school’s existing curriculum, focusing on skill-building without undermining the school’s existing disciplinary framework to provide students with conflict resolution skills pertinent to their daily interactions and overall community health.

(b)(a) ProvideImplement datathe andcurriculum informationselected requested by the nonprofitcommissioner, organizationfocusing selectedon pursuantskill-building without undermining the school’s existing disciplinary framework to paragraphprovide (1)(c).students with conflict resolution skills pertinent to their daily interactions and overall community health.

(b) Provide data and information requested by the selected nonprofit organization.

(c) Complete the pre-program and post-program survey created by the selected nonprofit organization.

(a) Oversee the implementation of the pilot program.

(b) Provide guidance to participating middle schoolsor onhigh implementingPage IREX’s2 Conflictof Resolution3 andCODING: Peer Mediation Toolkit into the school’s existing curriculum.

(c) Collect relevant data and information relating to the rates of juvenile violence in selected schools before the pilot Page 2 of 3 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2024 CS for SB 786 24-01517-24581-02967-24 2024786__2024786c1 programschools andon implementing the ratesconflict ofresolution suchcurriculum violenceinto aftereach implementationsuch ofschool’s theexisting pilotcurriculum. program.

(c) Collect relevant data and information relating to the rates of juvenile violence in selected schools before the pilot program and the rates of such violence after implementation of the pilot program.

(4)(e) UponCreate completion of the pilot program, the nonprofit organization shall provide a reportpre-program toand thepost-program Governor,survey thethat Presidentmust ofbe thecompleted Senate,by theschool Speakeradministrators ofand theteachers Houseat ofparticipating Representatives,schools. and the department.

The(4) Upon completion of the pilot program, the selected nonprofit organization shall provide a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the department, which must include:

(a) The number of students enrolled at the participating schools.

(b) The rates of juvenile violence in selectedparticipating schools before implementation of the pilot program.

(c) The rates of juvenile violence in selectedparticipating schools after implementation of the pilot program.

(d) RecommendationsThe forfindings the inclusion of IREX’sthe Conflictpre-program Resolution and Peerpost-program Mediationsurvey. Toolkit into the curriculum of middle schools across the state.

(e) Recommendations for the inclusion of the curriculum of middle schools across the state.