Cabarrus Health Alliance STOP School Violence program in Kannapolis, North Carolina

Cabarrus Health Alliance (CHA), the local health department for Cabarrus County, North Carolina, proposes a STOP School Violence grant to reduce rates of In-School Suspension (ISS) and Out of School Suspension (OSS) for both Black males and Students with Disabilities (SWD) for violence-related incidences (bullying and harassment) at Kannapolis City School district (Kannapolis, North Carolina). School district data indicates that Black males and Students with Disabilities have been disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization and are historically underserved, marginalized, and affected by inequality (Priority 1A). CHA proposes a project with three components to reduce violence and advance equity while removing barriers for the population of focus: Component 1. Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team Support via screening software and Restorative Practices Intevention Specialists concentrating on the population of focus; Component 2. A robust, on-demand, in-person Restorative Practices Teacher Academy that includes ongoing coaching and support; and Component 3. An evidence-based student violence and bullying prevention curriculum tailored for kindergarten through ninth grade students. By the end of the project period, at least 640 teachers from the school district will have been trained and have begun implementing training content with students, and 75% of students from all targeted schools will receive lessons based on the evidence-based curriculum. As a result, rates of bullying, harassment, and victimization across the entire school district will reduce by 10% from the project baseline. In addition, rates of in- and out-of-school suspension will decrease by 10% for the populations of focus and the student population as a whole. CHA will partner with subrecipients Kannapolis City Schools, the Mendez Foundation, and the Beginnings of Independence on this project.