PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona schools chief Kathy Hoffman is creating a task force to look at ways to prevent violence on campuses.
Hoffman, a Democrat, said Monday that her office will seek to implement school-safety legislation that did not advance in the Republican-controlled Legislature.
She says the task force will include students, law-enforcement, mental health experts, school counselors and others. They'll develop model school-safety plans and urge districts to adopt them.
She announced the plan in a news conference at the state Capitol with Republican Sen. Kate Brophy McGee and students from the student activist group March For Our Lives Arizona. They described a comprehensive look at school safety that goes beyond keeping buildings secure. It seeks to identify and help students experiencing depression, anxiety or other mental health concerns.
