PROJECT SUMMARY
Since 1958, public schools in the United States have used school resource officers (SROs) as a community-
based policing strategy to prevent school violence. However, recent evidence questions the effectiveness of
SRO programs and highlights their link to increased student discipline and arrests, particularly for marginalized
groups. Approximately 28 states have passed policy reforms to mitigate the potentially adverse effects of SRO
programs on student outcomes. Yet, no study has examined whether and how state SRO laws impact student
outcomes, SRO practices, and SRO policies at the local level. This proposed research project will address
these gaps by examining the impact and implementation of state SRO laws in schools with SRO programs.
Aim 1 focuses on assessing state-level variation in SRO policies, including their presence, scope, and
structure, by developing a longitudinal database on state-level SRO laws until 2024. Aim 2 investigates the
association between state SRO policies and disciplinary policies/outcomes in schools with SRO programs
using a nationally representative sample of US public schools with SRO programs. Aim 3 delves into the local-
level implementation of state SRO policies, exploring barriers and facilitators in school districts with SRO
programs. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with school administrators, staff, law enforcement, and
students to understand how SRO programs and policy reforms have been implemented among a diverse
representation of school districts across the US. Aim 4 focuses on the development and testing of a toolkit to
implement SRO policy reforms using findings from Aims 1-3. The acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility
of the toolkit will be evaluated with school districts. By examining the complex interplay between state-level
policies, district implementation, and disciplinary outcomes, this research addresses the National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development's goal of improving child and adolescent health and transition to
adulthood through the promotion of positive community-level (i.e., school-level) interventions that prevent youth
violence, injury, and mortality. To strengthen my skills and complete this project, I identified three critical
training areas: 1) Implementation science, with a focus on educational policy and programming; 2) Program
and policy evaluation, with an emphasis on policy surveillance; 3) Qualitative research methodology, with an
emphasis on community-based participatory research. My mentorship team has substantive expertise in public
health, psychiatry, medicine, criminology, and education. Moreover, their methodological skillsets will
strengthen my training goals. The Pathway to Independence award will be my launch pad to become an
independent researcher who works with local school communities to design culturally competent,
interdisciplinary, and health-oriented violence prevention strategies.