MADISON, Wis. - Tips to Wisconsin's school safety threat reporting system were up more than 40% last school year compared to the year prior, the state Department of Justice's Office of School Safety announced on Tuesday.
During the 2023-2024 school year, the agency reported Speak Up, Speak Out SUSO received 5,270 tips. Since the platform's inception in 2020, the DOJ said bullying has consistently been the number one tip. It is also common nationally for bullying to be the most reported tip.
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Numerous students across Wisconsin have contacted SUSO each year. The DOJ said the significant increase in tips and the dialogue that many students have with SUSO staff indicate the platform has earned a reputation among students as a safe, accessible and credible place to report concerns.
The DOJ's Office of School Safety also offers free training for issues such as violence prevention, protection, mitigation, crisis response and recovery. From Sept. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2024, the agency said it provided training to 838 people from 98 public school districts, private schools and tribal schools, 55 law enforcement agencies, and 28 other agencies.
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Statement from Attorney General Josh Kaul
"Kids in our schools should be able to focus on what they’re learning in class without having to worry about their safety. Speak Up, Speak Out has been a remarkable success, assisting an increasing number of students and helping many schools that are working to take a comprehensive approach to school safety."