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Home My WebLink About2025-04-01 City Schools Liaison Committee Agenda PacketCITY OF PALO ALTO & PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT City Schools Liaison Committee Regular Special Meeting Tuesday, April 01, 2025 7:00 PM District Office, Board Room & Hybrid 25 Churchill Ave, Palo Alto Amended Agenda Amended Agenda Items Appear Below in RED (Items Reordered) Councilmember George Lu Remote Call In Teleconference Location: Renaissance Seattle Hotel Room #1204, 515 Madison St., Seattle, WA 98104 City School Liaison Committee meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option to attend by teleconference/video conference or in person. Information on how the public may observe and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda. The meeting will be broadcast live on Zoom and YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto. VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://pausd.zoom.us/j/96175670700) Meeting ID: 961 7567 0700 PUBLIC COMMENTS PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES Public comment opportunities will be available through Zoom and in person. Comments will be accepted within the Zoom meeting and in person at 7:00 pm on the day of the meeting. In order to maintain the order of speakers and accurately capture comments, please submit a virtual speaker card in advance via this Google Form: www.pausd.org/comments/cityschoolliaisoncommittee CALL TO ORDER REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS A.Open Forum/Public Communications B.Approval of Minutes C.City and District Reports F.Study Session: Safe Routes to School Annual Report for 2022‐2025 and Review Endorsement of Consensus Statement; CEQA Status ‐ not a project Title Updated, Late Packet Report, Presentation E.Youth Mental Health ‐ Proposal for City and School District Partnerships with The Jed Foundation D.Future Business ADJOURNMENT PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email, teleconference, or by phone. 1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.council@cityofpaloalto.org. 2. For in person public comments please complete a speaker request card located on the table at the entrance to the Council Chambers and deliver it to the Clerk prior to discussion of the item. 3. Spoken public comments for agendized items using a computer or smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting. Please read the following instructions carefully. You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 , Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer. Or download the Zoom application onto your smart phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter in the Meeting ID below. You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak. When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. A timer will be shown on the computer to help keep track of your comments. 4. Spoken public comments for agendized items using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Council. You will be advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda item and time limit allotted. CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 961‐7567‐0700 Americans with Disability Act (ADA) It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to offer its public programs, services and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to all. Persons with disabilities who require materials in an appropriate alternative format or who require auxiliary aids to access City meetings, programs, or services may contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at (650) 329‐2550 (voice) or by emailing ada@cityofpaloalto.org. Requests for assistance or accommodations must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, program, or service. California Government Code §84308, commonly referred to as the "Levine Act," prohibits an elected official of a local government agency from participating in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use if the official received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party or participant, including their agents, to the proceeding within the last 12 months. A “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” includes most land use and planning approvals and the approval of contracts that are not subject to lowest responsible bid procedures and have a value over $50,000. A “party” is a person who files an application for, or is the subject of, a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use. A “participant” is a person who actively supports or opposes a particular decision in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use, and has a financial interest in the decision. The Levine Act incorporates the definition of “financial interest” in the Political Reform Act, which encompasses interests in business entities, real property, sources of income, sources of gifts, and personal finances that may be affected by the Council’s actions. If you qualify as a “party” or “participant” to a proceeding, and you have made a campaign contribution to a Council Member exceeding $500 made within the last 12 months, you must disclose the campaign contribution before making your comments. 1 Special Meeting April 01, 2025 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org. CITY OF PALO ALTO & PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT City Schools Liaison CommitteeRegular Special MeetingTuesday, April 01, 20257:00 PMDistrict Office, Board Room & Hybrid25 Churchill Ave, Palo AltoAmended AgendaAmended Agenda Items Appear Below in RED (ItemsReordered)Councilmember George Lu Remote Call InTeleconference Location: Renaissance SeattleHotel Room #1204, 515 Madison St., Seattle, WA98104City School Liaison Committee meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option toattend by teleconference/video conference or in person. Information on how the public mayobserve and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda. The meeting will bebroadcast live on Zoom and YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://pausd.zoom.us/j/96175670700) Meeting ID: 961 7567 0700 PUBLIC COMMENTSPUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES Public comment opportunities will be available throughZoom and in person. Comments will be accepted within the Zoom meeting and in person at 7:00pm on the day of the meeting. In order to maintain the order of speakers and accurately capturecomments, please submit a virtual speaker card in advance via this Google Form:www.pausd.org/comments/cityschoolliaisoncommitteeCALL TO ORDER REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS A.Open Forum/Public Communications B.Approval of Minutes C.City and District Reports F.Study Session: Safe Routes to School Annual Report for 2022‐2025 and Review Endorsement of Consensus Statement; CEQA Status ‐ not a project Title Updated, Late Packet Report, Presentation E.Youth Mental Health ‐ Proposal for City and School District Partnerships with The Jed Foundation D.Future Business ADJOURNMENT PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email, teleconference, or by phone. 1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.council@cityofpaloalto.org. 2. For in person public comments please complete a speaker request card located on the table at the entrance to the Council Chambers and deliver it to the Clerk prior to discussion of the item. 3. Spoken public comments for agendized items using a computer or smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting. Please read the following instructions carefully. You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 , Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer. Or download the Zoom application onto your smart phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter in the Meeting ID below. You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak. When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. A timer will be shown on the computer to help keep track of your comments. 4. Spoken public comments for agendized items using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Council. You will be advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda item and time limit allotted. CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 961‐7567‐0700 Americans with Disability Act (ADA) It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to offer its public programs, services and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to all. Persons with disabilities who require materials in an appropriate alternative format or who require auxiliary aids to access City meetings, programs, or services may contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at (650) 329‐2550 (voice) or by emailing ada@cityofpaloalto.org. Requests for assistance or accommodations must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, program, or service. California Government Code §84308, commonly referred to as the "Levine Act," prohibits an elected official of a local government agency from participating in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use if the official received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party or participant, including their agents, to the proceeding within the last 12 months. A “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” includes most land use and planning approvals and the approval of contracts that are not subject to lowest responsible bid procedures and have a value over $50,000. A “party” is a person who files an application for, or is the subject of, a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use. A “participant” is a person who actively supports or opposes a particular decision in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use, and has a financial interest in the decision. The Levine Act incorporates the definition of “financial interest” in the Political Reform Act, which encompasses interests in business entities, real property, sources of income, sources of gifts, and personal finances that may be affected by the Council’s actions. If you qualify as a “party” or “participant” to a proceeding, and you have made a campaign contribution to a Council Member exceeding $500 made within the last 12 months, you must disclose the campaign contribution before making your comments. 2 Special Meeting April 01, 2025 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org. CITY OF PALO ALTO & PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT City Schools Liaison CommitteeRegular Special MeetingTuesday, April 01, 20257:00 PMDistrict Office, Board Room & Hybrid25 Churchill Ave, Palo AltoAmended AgendaAmended Agenda Items Appear Below in RED (ItemsReordered)Councilmember George Lu Remote Call InTeleconference Location: Renaissance SeattleHotel Room #1204, 515 Madison St., Seattle, WA98104City School Liaison Committee meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option toattend by teleconference/video conference or in person. Information on how the public mayobserve and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda. The meeting will bebroadcast live on Zoom and YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://pausd.zoom.us/j/96175670700) Meeting ID: 961 7567 0700 PUBLIC COMMENTSPUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES Public comment opportunities will be available throughZoom and in person. Comments will be accepted within the Zoom meeting and in person at 7:00pm on the day of the meeting. In order to maintain the order of speakers and accurately capturecomments, please submit a virtual speaker card in advance via this Google Form:www.pausd.org/comments/cityschoolliaisoncommitteeCALL TO ORDERREVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONSA.Open Forum/Public CommunicationsB.Approval of MinutesC.City and District ReportsF.Study Session: Safe Routes to School Annual Report for 2022‐2025 andReview Endorsement of Consensus Statement; CEQA Status ‐ not a project TitleUpdated, Late Packet Report, PresentationE.Youth Mental Health ‐ Proposal for City and School District Partnerships with The JedFoundationD.Future Business ADJOURNMENT PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email, teleconference, or by phone. 1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.council@cityofpaloalto.org. 2. For in person public comments please complete a speaker request card located on the table at the entrance to the Council Chambers and deliver it to the Clerk prior to discussion of the item. 3. Spoken public comments for agendized items using a computer or smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting. Please read the following instructions carefully. You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 , Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer. Or download the Zoom application onto your smart phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter in the Meeting ID below. You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak. When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. A timer will be shown on the computer to help keep track of your comments. 4. Spoken public comments for agendized items using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Council. You will be advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda item and time limit allotted. CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 961‐7567‐0700 Americans with Disability Act (ADA) It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to offer its public programs, services and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to all. Persons with disabilities who require materials in an appropriate alternative format or who require auxiliary aids to access City meetings, programs, or services may contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at (650) 329‐2550 (voice) or by emailing ada@cityofpaloalto.org. Requests for assistance or accommodations must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, program, or service. California Government Code §84308, commonly referred to as the "Levine Act," prohibits an elected official of a local government agency from participating in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use if the official received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party or participant, including their agents, to the proceeding within the last 12 months. A “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” includes most land use and planning approvals and the approval of contracts that are not subject to lowest responsible bid procedures and have a value over $50,000. A “party” is a person who files an application for, or is the subject of, a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use. A “participant” is a person who actively supports or opposes a particular decision in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use, and has a financial interest in the decision. The Levine Act incorporates the definition of “financial interest” in the Political Reform Act, which encompasses interests in business entities, real property, sources of income, sources of gifts, and personal finances that may be affected by the Council’s actions. If you qualify as a “party” or “participant” to a proceeding, and you have made a campaign contribution to a Council Member exceeding $500 made within the last 12 months, you must disclose the campaign contribution before making your comments. 3 Special Meeting April 01, 2025 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org. CITY OF PALO ALTO & PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT City Schools Liaison CommitteeRegular Special MeetingTuesday, April 01, 20257:00 PMDistrict Office, Board Room & Hybrid25 Churchill Ave, Palo AltoAmended AgendaAmended Agenda Items Appear Below in RED (ItemsReordered)Councilmember George Lu Remote Call InTeleconference Location: Renaissance SeattleHotel Room #1204, 515 Madison St., Seattle, WA98104City School Liaison Committee meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option toattend by teleconference/video conference or in person. Information on how the public mayobserve and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda. The meeting will bebroadcast live on Zoom and YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://pausd.zoom.us/j/96175670700) Meeting ID: 961 7567 0700 PUBLIC COMMENTSPUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES Public comment opportunities will be available throughZoom and in person. Comments will be accepted within the Zoom meeting and in person at 7:00pm on the day of the meeting. In order to maintain the order of speakers and accurately capturecomments, please submit a virtual speaker card in advance via this Google Form:www.pausd.org/comments/cityschoolliaisoncommitteeCALL TO ORDERREVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONSA.Open Forum/Public CommunicationsB.Approval of MinutesC.City and District ReportsF.Study Session: Safe Routes to School Annual Report for 2022‐2025 andReview Endorsement of Consensus Statement; CEQA Status ‐ not a project TitleUpdated, Late Packet Report, PresentationE.Youth Mental Health ‐ Proposal for City and School District Partnerships with The JedFoundationD.Future BusinessADJOURNMENTPUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONSMembers of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email,teleconference, or by phone.1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.council@cityofpaloalto.org.2. For in person public comments please complete a speaker request card located on thetable at the entrance to the Council Chambers and deliver it to the Clerk prior todiscussion of the item.3. Spoken public comments for agendized items using a computer or smart phone willbe accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, click on the linkbelow to access a Zoom‐based meeting. Please read the following instructions carefully.You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If usingyour browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 ,Firefox 27 , Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled inolder browsers including Internet Explorer. Or download the Zoom application ontoyour smart phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter in theMeeting ID below.You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that youidentify yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify youthat it is your turn to speak.When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk willactivate and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before theyare called to speak.When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. A timer will beshown on the computer to help keep track of your comments.4. Spoken public comments for agendized items using a phone use the telephone numberlisted below. When you wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so weknow that you wish to speak. You will be asked to provide your first and last name beforeaddressing the Council. You will be advised how long you have to speak. When calledplease limit your remarks to the agenda item and time limit allotted.CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 961‐7567‐0700Americans with Disability Act (ADA) It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to offer its publicprograms, services and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to all. Persons withdisabilities who require materials in an appropriate alternative format or who require auxiliary aids to access City meetings, programs, or services may contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at (650) 329‐2550 (voice) or by emailing ada@cityofpaloalto.org. Requests for assistance or accommodations must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, program, or service. California Government Code §84308, commonly referred to as the "Levine Act," prohibits an elected official of a local government agency from participating in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use if the official received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party or participant, including their agents, to the proceeding within the last 12 months. A “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” includes most land use and planning approvals and the approval of contracts that are not subject to lowest responsible bid procedures and have a value over $50,000. A “party” is a person who files an application for, or is the subject of, a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use. A “participant” is a person who actively supports or opposes a particular decision in a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use, and has a financial interest in the decision. The Levine Act incorporates the definition of “financial interest” in the Political Reform Act, which encompasses interests in business entities, real property, sources of income, sources of gifts, and personal finances that may be affected by the Council’s actions. If you qualify as a “party” or “participant” to a proceeding, and you have made a campaign contribution to a Council Member exceeding $500 made within the last 12 months, you must disclose the campaign contribution before making your comments. 4 Special Meeting April 01, 2025 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org. DRAFT City/School Liaison Committee Meeting September 19, 2024 This meeting of the City/School Liaison Committee was held in person at the City of Palo Alto and on Zoom and was accessible to the public in person or by internet. Call to Order Members of the City/School Liaison Committee met in person. Collins, Chair, called the meeting to order at 8:33 a.m. Members: Board Member Todd Collins, Palo Alto Unified School District, Chair Board Member Shounak Dharap, Palo Alto Unified School District Council Member Pat Burt, City of Palo Alto Council Member Greg Tanaka, City of Palo Alto (absent) Superintendent of Schools, Don Austin (absent) City Manager Ed Shikada, City of Palo Alto Deputy City Manager Chantal Gaines, City of Palo Alto Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Student Affairs, Yolanda Conaway, Palo Alto Unified School District Mental Health and Wellness Supervisor, Genavae Dixon, Palo Alto Unified School District Director of Community Services, Kristen O'Kane Approval of Agenda Order MOTION 1: It was moved by Dharap, seconded by Burt, to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried 3-0 by the following votes: Collins: Aye Dharap: Aye Burt: Aye Tanaka: Absent General Public Comments There were no public comments. Approval of Minutes Approval of minutes from the March 21, 2024, meeting. MOTION 2: It was moved by Dharap, seconded by Burt, to approve the minutes as presented. The motion carried 3-0 by the following votes: Collins: Aye Dharap: Aye Burt: Aye Tanaka: Absent Updates from Palo Alto Unified School District Conaway, Dharap, and Collins provided an update from PAUSD. Updates from the City of Palo Alto Shikada and Burt provided an update from the City of Palo Alto. Joint Efforts to Address Youth Mental Health Dixon and O'Kane provided updates regarding mental health. Future Business The committee discussed topics for the next meeting. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:54 a.m. Item B Attachment A - September 19, 2024 Draft Action Minutes Item B: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 5 of 57 Page 1 of 1 City School Liaison Committee Special Meeting Action Minutes: 2/25/2025 Special Meeting February 25, 2025 Chantal Gaines called the meeting to order on this date at 7:04 P.M. Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives Greer Stone, Council Member George Lu, Council Member Chantal Gaines, Deputy City Manager, Staff Liaison Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives Shana Segal, Board President Alison Kamhi, Board Member Don Austin, Superintendent, Palo Alto Unified School District Absent: 1. Selection of Chair MOTION: Council Member Lu nominated Council Member Greer Stone to serve as Chair, seconded by Board Member Segal. MOTION PASSED: 4-0 REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION A. Open Forum/Public Communications B. Approval of Minutes No action taken. C. City and District Reports No action taken. D. Future Business No action taken. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:34 P.M. City/School Liaison Committee Special Meeting Action Minutes Item B Attachment B - February 25, 2025 Draft Action Minutes Item B: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 6 of 57 City Schools Liaison Committee Staff Report From: Councilmember Stone and PAUSD Board President Segal Report Type: Action Meeting Date: April 1, 2025 Report #:2503-4401 TITLE Youth Mental Health - Proposal for City and School District Partnerships with The Jed Foundation DISCUSSION Summary To address the ongoing need for youth mental health support and suicide prevention in Palo Alto, we propose two separate but complementary initiatives in partnership with The Jed Foundation (JED). These initiatives will provide targeted support to the City of Palo Alto and the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), leveraging JED’s expertise to improve mental health systems and community resilience. 1.City of Palo Alto Proposal: A one-year partnership (with the possibility of a phase 2 in a second year) with JED focusing on postvention support, youth engagement, and citywide mental health awareness. 2.PAUSD Proposal: A two-year collaboration through the JED and AASA District Mental Health Initiative, providing a comprehensive districtwide assessment, strategic planning, and long-term sustainability for mental health improvements. We request that the City-Schools Committee approve these proposals and refer them to the Palo Alto City Council and PAUSD Board of Education for final approval. City of Palo Alto Partnership with JED (12 months) Funded by the City, this initiative will provide immediate and strategic mental health support, including: •Postvention Support – Assistance following mental health crises, including grief processing, lethal means safety education, and responsible public messaging. Item E Item E Staff Report Item E: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 7 of 57 •Youth Engagement – Collaborating with students, PAUSD, and community organizations to center youth voices in mental health initiatives. •Citywide Mental Health Campaign – A research-based awareness campaign developed with JED’s guidance. •Training & Skill Building – Workshops for educators, parents, and community members on youth mental health, suicide prevention, and inclusive community-building. There is the potential for a phase two in this partnership if the city wishes to extend the relationship with JED. Phase two would include: • Youth Mental Health Summit – Collaborate with all stakeholders on a citywide summit to showcase available mental health services in the city, school district, and county, to include workshops, panelists, presentations, and more. •Strengthen Suicide Prevention in Schools – JED will work with PAUSD to develop and strengthen prevention measures across all schools. The city can work with JED to identify ways in which the City and PAUSD can better partner on these collaborations. •Build Capacity for Sustainable Engagement, Prevention, and Postvention – JED will work with all stakeholders to ensure key components of this work will be sustainable and continued after the formal partnership concludes, including: mental health workshops and other trainings, recommendations for ongoing data collection and assessment, and facilitation on how to further enhance cross-sector collaboration between the City, PAUSD, community leaders, and nonprofits. PAUSD Participation in the JED and AASA District Mental Health Initiative (24 months) This initiative, developed by JED in partnership with AASA (The School Superintendents Association), is a transformative program tailored to assist district leaders in improving school mental health systems. PAUSD will benefit from the following: Comprehensive Assessment •District-wide surveys for staff, principals, and students (middle and high school levels). •Formation of a steering committee focused on district-wide mental health improvements. •Student focus groups to amplify youth perspectives. Strategic Planning & Policy Review •Evaluation of current programs and policies, with recommendations aligned with best practices. Item E Item E Staff Report Item E: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 8 of 57 •Development of a system resource map to visualize mental health services and improve resource allocation. •Data-driven feedback to inform district leadership and enhance mental health initiatives. Implementation & Ongoing Support •Creation of a district-level Mental Health Strategic Plan for sustainable change. •Expert consultation on suicide prevention, crisis response, and well-being initiatives. •Staff training, technical assistance, and in-person site visits to support plan execution. Long-Term Impact & Sustainability •A second round of assessments to measure progress and provide post-program evaluation. •Development of a sustainability plan to ensure lasting improvements. •Participation in a national cohort of districts working on mental health improvements, gaining access to ongoing learning, resources, and professional development. Next Steps At the April 1 meeting, we will present both proposals along with a presentation from The Jed Foundation. We ask the committee to discuss and approve these proposals and refer them back to the City Council and School Board for final consideration. We look forward to working together to ensure the well-being of Palo Alto’s youth. Councilmember Greer Stone Board President Shana Segal FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT The attached Jed Foundation proposal (Attachment A) mentions a phase 1 cost of $125,000 and an undefined cost for phase 2. The fiscal and resource impacts of this proposal for the City and School District would have to be assessed if there is interest in moving forward (including staffing resource impacts regarding managing the contract). Item E Item E Staff Report Item E: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 9 of 57 Procedurally, if there is interest in pursuing this partnership, the City Schools Liaison Committee would make recommendations to both the Palo Alto Unified School District School Board as well as the City of Palo Alto City Council for adoption. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: The Jed Foundation Proposal Item E Item E Staff Report Item E: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 10 of 57 Proposal to the City of Palo Alto: Mental Health and Wellbeing Consultancy March 2025 About The Jed Foundation The Jed Foundation (JED) was founded in 2000 by Donna and Phil Satow, who lost their youngest son, Jed, to suicide. JED is now the nationʼs leading nonprofit working to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for teens and young adults. JED advances its mission by 1) partnering with school districts, high schools, colleges, universities, and community-based organizations to build and strengthen comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention programs and systems; 2) producing expert-informed campaigns and resources for young people, parents, and educators; 3) undertaking research projects to increase understanding of youth mental health issues and their impact on specific populations; and 4) advising youth-serving organizations, such as the NBA, the NCAA, Paramount Media Networks and Spotify, among others, on youth mental health matters. JEDʼs lead program, JED Campus, is now implemented at more than 500 colleges and universities collectively attended by over 5.5 million students, including at Northern Arizona University. A Decade of Improving College Mental Health Systems: JED Campus Impact Report analyzes a decade of data (2013 to 2023) from JED Campus schools and the Healthy Minds Network survey. Among the findings, the report documents a significant decline in suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and attempts among students attending colleges and universities who participated in the JED Campus program. Schools participating in and completing the JED Campus program made improvements and significant changes across all seven domains of JEDʼs Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention. Building on this success, our JED High School program was launched in 2021 , and our newest program for School Districts was launched in 2023, reaching more than 600 schools nationwide across both programs and equipping them with expert support, evidence-based best practices, and data-driven guidance to protect student mental health and prevent suicide. JED partners with these high schools and districts to assess student needs, develop a customized strategic plan to build on existing strengths, and implement tools, strategies, and techniques that lead to measurable improvements in student mental health and a more connected community. 1 Item E Attachment A - The JED Foundation Proposal Item E: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 11 of 57 JED also partners with community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide data-driven strategic planning and technical assistance to protect youth mental health. JEDʼs CBO capacity-building and strategic planning activities are complemented by educational programming that JED delivers to community groups to raise awareness, reduce shame and silence and normalize mental health, and increase help-seeking behaviors. Finally, JEDʼs postvention practice provides immediate and compassionate response, evidence- and research-based resources, consultation, and thoughtful engagement with school leadership and program staﬀ members for high schools, colleges, and community organizations that experience a sudden and tragic loss of life. JED has the requisite expertise to partner with municipalities to protect the mental health of youth and young adults in their communities. Together with local government oﬀicials, community providers, young people, educators, families, and others, we can create comprehensive upstream prevention measures that support individual and collective well-being. We can create communities full of human connection, where everyone gets the support they need in order to thrive. Scope of Work with the City of Palo Alto The Jed Foundation would be pleased to provide strategic planning, technical assistance (TA), and postvention consultation to the City of Palo Alto. Based on the introductory conversation with Councilperson Julie Lythcott-Haims and Mayor Greer Stone, JED is proposing two phases of engagement. Phase One is a 12-month scope of work that will be funded by the City of Palo Alto. Phase Two encompasses 12-18 months of additional work following Phase One, and it is contingent upon JED and/or the City of Palo Alto raising the necessary funding. Phase One 1. Provide Postvention Support: The Jed Foundationʼs postvention practice provides research-based resources, best practice recommendations, published guidelines, technical assistance, and thoughtful engagements with communities that experience a sudden and tragic loss of life. We recommend the following for the City of Palo Alto: ● JED will directly facilitate and coordinate among local providers opportunities for postvention grief processing and community healing in the wake of recent losses. 2 Item E Attachment A - The JED Foundation Proposal Item E: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 12 of 57 ● JED will provide customized, citywide lethal means safety education. Lethal means safety involves making it more diﬀicult to access the method by which one might die by suicide (e.g., an unsecured firearm, unrestricted access to a rooftop of a tall building, or dangerous medications). ● JED will lead an environmental scan for lethal means safety with customized recommendations for improvement. ● JED will assist with community-wide safe messaging (including news shared in local newspapers and community groups and memorials in the community) to reduce the likelihood that other individuals will die by suicide following a loss. ● JED will provide a customized postvention guide to improve responses to loss by suicide (and other unexpected loss) and reduce the likelihood that other individuals will die by suicide following a loss. 2. Facilitate Youth Engagement: JED understands that voice, agency, and purpose are essential to healthy development and wellness. JED will work with youth leaders, community organizations, the Palo Alto Unified School District, and other stakeholders to ensure that Palo Altoʼs young people are central to this work. We recommend that this include the following elements: ● JED will understand the needs of Palo Altoʼs young people through focus groups. ● Young people are meaningfully represented in a Task Force the City will create to work with JED on this project. ● JED will help to generate a roadmap of potential future activities and goals of the Task Force, as well as guidance on overall convening structure and the prioritization of initial Task Force activities and agendas. 3. Advise on the City of Palo Altoʼs Citywide Campaign: JED can provide up to 40 hours of expert guidance on campaign concepts and materials to help ensure their eﬀectiveness and impact. We can review creative briefs, inform potential impact goals and measures, and share expert feedback on creative and materials. We can also curate a set of existing, evidence-based resources tailored to the goals and objectives of the campaign for licensed use, e.g. on the citywide campaign landing page. These resources might include digital tools, storytelling content, or social-first assets designed to provide trustworthy information about mental health, including recognizing signs of distress; supporting open conversation, connection, and help-seeking behaviors; and oﬀering specialized information for a wide range of feelings, situations, and identities. Examples include: Mental Health Resource Center content, videos featuring expert advice and voices of lived experience like Caleb Williams, research reports, and social media assets. 3 Item E Attachment A - The JED Foundation Proposal Item E: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 13 of 57 4. Build Knowledge and Skills: JED provides workshops, training, and presentations to community groups, schools and districts, and professional associations across the country. Our standard workshops and trainings can be tailored to address the needs of specific groups; based on what weʼve heard, we would recommend the following three trainings for the City of Palo Alto. JED will deliver each of these trainings once in person and once virtually, for a total of six sessions: ● JEDʼs “You Can Help” training equips participants to understand youth mental health, recognize signs of distress, learn how to respond, and know when and how to connect young people to professional resources. JED has developed specialized versions of this training for youth, educator, and parent audiences. ● “Creating an Inclusive Community of Care” covers the connection between belonging and mental well-being, identifies the core elements of a culture of care, and oﬀers proven strategies to combat stigma among historically marginalized groups. Itʼs recommended for leaders and staﬀ members of organizations that work with young people. ● “Facts About Suicide” is a training infused with research from JEDʼs recent Youth Suicide: Current Trends and the Path to Prevention report. It explains what suicide is, who is at risk, and when and how it is most likely to occur. Participants also learn the use of appropriate vocabulary when discussing suicide-related topics. Should we determine that other organizations assisting the community have already addressed these high impact needs, we will provide the City Council with a menu of options for workshops to meet the outstanding needs. Phase Two 1. Co-create and Support a Youth Mental Health Summit: JED, City government staﬀ, the Task Force, youth leaders, community-based organizations, and the Palo Alto Unified School District will collaborate to plan and sponsor an in-person youth mental health summit. JEDʼs initial recommendations are for the summit to include: ● Multiple opportunities to center the voices and experiences of Palo Altoʼs young people in workshops, panels, presentations, and/or other facets of the event ● A showcase or exhibit hall featuring locally available mental health and wellness resources ● Mental health education including, but not limited to, training led by JED ● Actionable recommendations for changes that can be implemented, tracked, and improved over time. 4 Item E Attachment A - The JED Foundation Proposal Item E: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 14 of 57 2. Strengthen Suicide Prevention in Schools: JED will work with the Palo Alto Unified School District to develop and/or strengthen unified upstream prevention measures across all its schools. The ideas, concerns, and perspectives of teen students will figure significantly in this work. Components of this work will include: ● Resource mapping to develop or update a system-wide inventory of internal and external mental health supports and resources available to students, staﬀ, and families ● Review of the districtʼs existing policies related to school climate, student mental health and wellness, staﬀ mental health and wellness, crisis response, and postvention ● Staﬀ and student surveys conducted in the districtʼs middle and high schools ● A detailed report containing concrete, evidence-based recommendations for strengthening policies, processes, and programs ● Technical assistance to begin implementing the recommendations. 3. Build Capacity for Sustainable Engagement, Prevention, and Postvention: JED will work with government, school, and community leaders to ensure that appropriate components of this work can be continued after the Cityʼs partnership with JED concludes. JED will provide: ● Train-the-trainer coaching and/or access to asynchronous online course versions of JEDʼs mental health education workshops and trainings, such as “Supporting Student Mental Health” or “Handle with C.A.R.E.” ● Recommendations for ongoing data collection, assessment, and evaluation activities the City should consider adopting ● Facilitation among the City, Task Force, school district, and community groups about how to continue and improve upon cross-sector collaboration. JED Key Personnel Project Lead: Erlinda Delacruz, Director of Community-Based Programs Erlinda Delacruz joined The Jed Foundation as a Campus Advisor working with colleges and universities to implement policies and programs that address the needs of young adults. She is a dedicated advocate for mental health equity, particularly for marginalized and underserved student populations. With a background in higher education and a focus on equity and well-being, Erlinda brings a wealth of expertise to her role. Her diverse upbringing in Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix, combined with her educational journey in Boston, gives her a deep appreciation for diﬀerent communities and experiences. Erlinda holds a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling and is currently pursuing a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Her work is driven by a commitment to equitable access to treatment, destigmatization of mental health and substance use concerns, and cultural competency. 5 Item E Attachment A - The JED Foundation Proposal Item E: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 15 of 57 Mental Health Expert Lead: Dr. Katie Hurley, DSW, LCSW, Senior Director of Knowledge and Advising and Community Programs Katie Hurley provides sound clinical assessment for a variety of projects at JED, including its work with schools and community-based organizations. A practicing child, adolescent, and young adult clinician for over 25 years, Katie previously served as a Clinical Director for The HELP Group, the largest family-based nonprofit in Los Angeles. She managed a team of eight clinicians and developed a bullying prevention program during her tenure there. Katie has deep expertise in adolescent and young adult anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. She is an adjunct professor of neurobiology in social work practice and advanced social work practice at the School of Social Work at Simmons University. She is the author of six books at the intersection of family life and mental health, including the award-winning No More Mean Girls. Dr. Kurt Michael, Senior Clinical Director Kurt Michael leads the postvention consulting practice at JED. Kurt brings expertise in adolescent suicidology, school mental health, psychotherapy outcomes, and clinical practice. He works with universities and K-12 schools and districts to evaluate their suicide prevention systems and adopt flexible and eﬀective postvention policies and procedures. Before joining The Jed Foundation, Kurt was the Stanley R. Aeschleman Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Assistant Departmental Chairperson at Appalachian State University (now Emeritus), where he established a nationally recognized program in school mental health, including the assessment and treatment of suicidality, postvention, lethal means safety protocols and rural healthcare. He has published over 70 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters on the assessment and treatment of anxiety, depression, and suicidality, especially in the context of schools. Dr. Tony Walker, Senior Vice President of Academic Programs Tony Walker structures, expands, and leads JEDʼs high school and higher education programs to meet the organizationʼs strategic plan objectives.. Prior to joining JED, Tony served as Vice President of Education Strategy and Innovation at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, where he led a team of school mental health consultants and contributed to the public policy discussion around school-linked mental health in Texas and beyond. He previously worked in multiple roles in public education, including as a teacher, school counselor, and most recently as an executive district leader over Student Support Services at Uplift Education, a high performing network of schools serving more than 23,000 students in North Texas. Under his decade of leadership, Uplift developed and implemented one of the largest school-based mental health systems in Texas. Tony is also a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified School Counselor. Dr. Michelle Mullen, Chief Design and Impact Oﬀicer 6 Item E Attachment A - The JED Foundation Proposal Item E: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 16 of 57 Michelle Mullen pairs her formal training in implementation science and commitment to equity through participatory action/stakeholder engagement to inform all aspects of her work from designing interventions/programs to evaluating impact. Her areas of expertise are mental health, young adult services, young adult career development, and enhancing academic persistence of college students. At JED, Michelle leads a multidisciplinary team to implement and evaluate programming focused on improving help seeking, help giving, enhancing mental health, and preventing suicide with teens and young adults in schools or other key settings. Michelle is also a researcher in the Department of Psychiatry at UMass Chan Medical School and previously at Rutgers University. Michelleʼs research focuses on career development of young adults; standardizing complex interventions to better support college students with mental health conditions; and evaluating the eﬀectiveness of various educational supports to enhance persistence of college and high school students. Dr. Kristen Clark, Senior Evaluation Analyst Kristen Clark is a social entrepreneur whose motivation to leave behind a legacy of justice comes from a quote she holds close to her by Audre Lorde, “When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” Through her professional and philanthropic work, she has dedicated her time to ensuring that barriers to access and opportunities donʼt inhibit opportunities for marginalized communities. A graduate of Rowan University, Dr. Clark has been an educational professional and researcher for over 15 years primarily focusing on the social inequities that impact meaningful engagement experiences as well as Social-Emotional Learning. Clark also teaches courses entitled “Rebel Girls: How Girls Do Activism” and “Social Problems in Education” at the higher education level. Shani Drake Duncan, Senior Director, Marketing and Campaigns Shani brings over 15 years of experience in the Marketing & Communications field after having worked in the music, telecom, and nonprofit industries, as well as the public sector. Shaniʼs passion is to elevate and amplify the voices of marginalized communities and uplift the work of those pushing towards true social change. She is deeply and personally connected to ensuring the mental health and wellness of these communities, as they strive towards equity and justice. As Senior Director of Marketing & Campaigns, she develops and implements marketing strategies, campaigns, and initiatives to increase awareness of JED, drive programmatic growth, help to meet impact goals, and support overall revenue growth. Renia McCauley, Director, Learning and Development Renia is a hands-on, energetic learning and development leader specializing in program design, improving DEIB practices, and evaluating and driving impact. With a passion for learning as a lifelong learner herself, spotlighting marginalized groups, and curating meaningful training experiences, Renia has been at the helm of collaborating cross-departmentally, transforming organizations and 7 Item E Attachment A - The JED Foundation Proposal Item E: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 17 of 57 individuals, and building future-oriented teams. Previously, Renia was the Director of Learning & Development at Teach for America NC and has served as an Instructional Coach, Program Manager, and COO to various organizations. Kiana Davis, Senior Manager, Educational Programming Kiana Davis joined The Jed Foundation with a background in program management, health education, and public mental health. Kiana works to ensure that JED continually oﬀers high-quality workshops, training, and other education programming to communities looking to learn more about teen and young adult mental health and suicide prevention. Most recently, Kiana served as the Team Lead for HomeLink, a program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill that connects precariously-housed people living with mental health conditions to support and resources. Proposed Fees Phase One: $125, 000 Phase Two: Scope, costs, and fundraising to be determined for phase two. This does not include costs for JED travel, and the estimated cost may change as we further define the activities. 8 Item E Attachment A - The JED Foundation Proposal Item E: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 18 of 57 6 8 8 5 City Schools Liaison Committee Staff Report Report Type: REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS Lead Department: Transportation Meeting Date: April 1, 2025 Report #:2503-4407 TITLE Study Session: Safe Routes to School Annual Report for 2022-2025 and Review of Consensus Statement; CEQA Status - not a project This report will be a late packet report published on March 27, 2025. Item F Item F Staff Report Item F: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 19 of 57 6 7 6 5 City Schools Liaison Committee Staff Report From: City Manager Lead Department: Transportation Meeting Date: April 1, 2025 Report #:2503-4345 TITLE Safe Routes to School Annual Report for 2022-2025 and Endorsement of Consensus Statement; CEQA Status – not a project RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the Committee receive City and PTA presentations about the Safe Routes to School Partnership for 2022-2025 and endorse the updated Safe Routes to School Consensus Statement and City/School Transportation Safety Committee bylaws. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Palo Alto, the Palo Alto Unified School District, and the Palo Alto Council of Parent Teacher Associations support a Safe Routes to School program to reduce risk for students and encourage more families to use alternatives to driving to school more often. The 2022-2025 Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Presentation provides a three-year summary of program accomplishments and school commute travel mode share outcomes. Additionally, to recognize 30 years of partnership and to support continued collaboration, the partners are endorsing the updated Partnership Consensus Statement and the updated Bylaws for the City/School Transportation Safety Committee (CSTSC). It is requested that the Committee recommend to the Board of Education as well as the City Council to endorse the updated Partnership Consensus Statement. The updates are explained in this staff report. BACKGROUND In 2005 and 2006, the City, the Palo Alto Unified School District, and the Palo Alto Council of PTAs endorsed the Safe Routes to School National Partnership Consensus Statement. The Consensus Statement was developed by a national coalition of partners working to address historic declines in walking and biking to school. Nationally, the Statement served as a guiding document to support the launch of the federally funded Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. In Palo Alto, which at the time had a 10-year-old collaboration, through the endorsement the partners renamed the collaboration to the Palo Alto Safe Routes to School Partnership. This Item F Item F Late Packet Report Item F: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 20 of 57 6 7 6 5 year, the Partnership celebrates 20 years of this official recognition and 30 years of in-school bicycle and pedestrian safety educational programs and other accomplishments. ANALYSIS This item provides an updated Partnership Consensus Statement and Bylaws for the City/School Transportation Safety Committee (CSTSC). The proposed and redlined Consensus Statements are included as Attachments A and B. Proposed edits by the CSTSC re-align the current local Consensus Statement’s five program pillars with the National Safe Routes Partnership Consensus Statement’s six program pillars: Education, Engineering, Engagement, Encouragement, Equity and Evaluation by adopting Equity as a sixth program pillar, and by changing one of the six program pillars from Enforcement to Engagement. Palo Alto CSTSC informally adopted the proposed changes into their communications in 2017 (Equity) and in 2020 (Engagement). Proposed and redlined CSTSC Bylaws are included as Attachments C and D. Draft Bylaws officially rename the City/School Traffic Safety Committee to the City/School Transportation Safety Committee to more clearly identify that the work of the CSTSC extends beyond traffic considerations. Minor changes proposed around the appointment of PTA representatives have no impact on the constitution of the CSTSC voting partnership members. The Executive Board of the Palo Alto Council of PTAs approved the draft Consensus Statement and Bylaws on February 19, 2025, followed by CSTSC approval on February 27, 2025. An equivalent recommendation has been forwarded to the Board of Education for the Palo Alto Unified School District for review and approval. The item is being brought to the City Schools Liaison Committee for the opportunity to discuss it with members of both, the Palo Alto Unified School District as well as the Palo Alto City Council. Upon recommendation for endorsement from the City Schools Liaison Committee, the recommendation will be taken to the full Board of Education and separately to the full City Council for approvals. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Proposed Attachment B: Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Redlined Attachment C: City School Transportation Safety Committee Bylaws - Proposed Attachment D: City School Transportation Safety Committee Bylaws - Redlined APPROVED BY: Lily Lim-Tsao Item F Item F Late Packet Report Item F: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 21 of 57 SAFE ROUTES PARTNERSHIP CONSENSUS STATEMENT We believe that Safe Routes to School is catalyzing and inspiring safe, healthy and livable communities. Our vision is that school environments are a focal point for healthy living. Our mission and vision statements can be reviewed here. The Problem Since the 1970s, we have seen a loss of mobility among our nation’s children that has severely impacted their personal health and their ability to explore their neighborhoods, even by walking or bicycling to school. Parents also have concerns about safety – both real and perceived – and children today have fewer opportunities to develop their independence. Consider these facts:* ● Mobility: In 2009, just 13 percent of children ages 5 to 14 walked and bicycled to and from school—a dramatic drop from 1969 when nearly 50 percent of children got to school under their own power.1 ● Health: Estimates show that only about half of youth meet the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans’ recommendation of at least 60 minutes of daily vigorous or mod-erate-intensity physical activity.2 There were more than four times as many overweight children in 2008 as there were in 1965.3 Childhood obesity is associated with an increase in heart disease, stroke and diabetes. ● Air Quality: A national study found that approximately one in three U.S. public schools are located in “air pollution danger zones” within a quarter mile or less of high-traffic roadways. Health effects of exposure to traffic pollution include increased respiratory illness, asthma exacerbations, decreased lung function and decreased lung growth.4,5 Air pollution also increases school absences.6 ● Traffic Congestion: During the morning commute, driving to school represents 10 to 14 percent of traffic on the road.7 ● Traffic Safety: Nationwide, 25 percent of all children’s traffic fatalities and 15 percent of all children’s traffic injuries happen when children are walking or bicycling and are struck by cars.8 ● Equity: In low-income communities, fewer sidewalks and crosswalks plus more high-speed traffic9 result in a higher risk of children from lower-income families being injured or killed by cars when walking.10 ● School Location: Public school enrollment has nearly doubled since the 1930s; however, during this time the number of public schools has decreased by 60 percent,11 resulting in larger schools that are further away from the families they serve. ● School Transportation: School districts are under economic pressure to cut costs and this has impacted school busing. During the 2010-2011 school year, approximately 22 percent of school districts made busing reductions due to fuel price increases, leaving many children without a safe way to school.12 Item F Attachment A - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Proposed Item F: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 22 of 57 These problems are all related to the fact that many communities lack basic infrastructure—sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, pathways, and crosswalks—and are no longer designed to encourage or allow children to walk and bicycle safely. Concerns about traffic, crime, and other obstacles result in children being driven to school, which further adds to the traffic on the road and pollution in the air and misses an important opportunity for physical activity. The Solution Safe Routes to School programs began in several communities in the United States in the late 1990s, and spread nationwide in 2005 with the passage of the federal transportation bill SAFETEA-LU. A study on the use of federal funds for Safe Routes to School in five states showed that Safe Routes to School investments increased active travel to school by 37 percent.13 Safe Routes to School continues to be eligible under the 2012 federal transportation bill MAP-21, and many states and communities are passing policies to provide additional Safe Routes to School funds. Safe Routes to School has proven to be an effective and popular strategy for increasing physical activity among children, improving safety, reducing pollution and engaging policy makers in community design to promote smart growth and livability. Several studies and resources about Safe Routes to School’s effectiveness are available on our website. As demand grows for healthy community design options, communities around the country are organizing Safe Routes to School programs and passing policies, with the common goals of increasing safety and improving mobility for children. Safe Routes to School also engages families and school communities to increase physical activity opportunities for children to help reverse childhood obesity trends. While each program is unique, Safe Routes to School programs and policies have common objectives: ● Mobility: Safe Routes to School gets more children walking and bicycling to schools safely, and aims to ensure that streets around schools have an adequate number of safe places to cross and access schools. ● Health: Safe Routes to School encourages students, families, and school staff to be physically active by walking and bicycling more often. Physical activity improves cardiovascular and muscular fitness, attention, cognition and mood, while decreasing the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and cancer.14 ● Air Quality: Safe Routes to School helps convert car trips to walking and bicycling trips, reducing the number of cars around schools that are producing traffic pollution. ● Traffic Congestion: Approximately 43 percent of children who live less than a mile from school are currently driven to school.15 These short trips can be shifted to walking and bicycling with the help of Safe Routes to School initiatives, easing traffic congestion on the morning commute. ● Traffic Safety: Safe Routes to School makes streets, sidewalks, pathways, trails, and crosswalks safe, convenient and attractive for walking and bicycling to school and in daily life. The impact of this safe infrastructure is amplified by enforcing all traffic laws near schools, on school routes, and in other areas of high pedestrian and bicycle activity, and by keeping driving speeds slow near schools, on school routes and at school crossings. Item F Attachment A - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Proposed Item F: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 23 of 57 ● Equity: Safe Routes to School recognizes that lower-income communities and schools often have the highest obesity rates and most dangerous traffic safety conditions, and therefore need to be prioritized for infrastructure improvements. ● School Location: Safe Routes to School seeks to locate schools within walking and bicycling distance of as many students as possible, and not along busy streets (which are dangerous to cross and expose children to higher air pollution). It is also important to ensure high quality, equitable and diverse schools. ● School Transportation: Safe Routes to School programs are a critical tool for school districts seeking to manage transportation costs, by prioritizing improvements in areas close enough where children could walk or bicycle to school but are currently bused due to “hazard busing” conditions. Every community is unique, so each Safe Routes to School program must respond to the needs of the school and the community. Successful programs include some combination or all of the following approaches to improve conditions for safe walking and bicycling: ● Equity: Ensuring that Safe Routes to School initiatives are benefiting all demographic groups, with particular attention to ensuring safe, healthy, and fair outcomes for low-income students, students of color, students of all genders, students with disabilities, and others. ● Engagement: Listening and working with students, families, and organizations to be intentional in programming. ● Encouragement: Using events and activities to promote walking and bicycling. ● Education: Teaching children about the broad range of transportation choices, instructing them in important lifelong safety skills, and launching driver safety campaigns. ● Engineering: Creating operational and physical improvements to the infrastructure surrounding schools, reducing speeds, and establishing safer crosswalks and pathways. ● Evaluation: Monitoring and researching outcomes and trends through the collection of data. Our nation continues to learn about best practices for Safe Routes to School programs and policies. As the Safe Routes to School movement matures, it is critical to evaluate the most effective and equitable uses of funding. The Safe Routes Partnership The Safe Routes Partnership is comprised of multiple constituencies at the local, state, and national levels. It includes: ● Parents, students and educators ● Health professionals ● Transportation, urban planning, and engineering professionals ● Policy makers ● Business leaders ● Community groups Item F Attachment A - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Proposed Item F: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 24 of 57 ● Social equity leaders ● Walking and bicycling advocates ● Environmental advocates ● Safety and injury prevention advocates The Safe Routes Partnership is a leading national organization advancing policies, strategies and programs which connect transportation with safe, healthy community designs that increase physical activity opportunities for children, families and schools. We achieve our mission by focusing on advancing policy change, and inspiring action and leadership in states and local communities, and sharing our deep knowledge and expertise through a wide range of programs, initiatives and partnerships. In 2012, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognized the Safe Routes Partnership with the Game Changer Award, one of six Pioneering Innovation Awards. The award recognized the Safe Routes Partnership for its accomplishments that have led to paradigm shifts that have advanced obesity prevention efforts. The Safe Routes Partnership will continue to evolve to advance the overall movement, mobilize the grassroots, work with policy makers and serve as a catalyst to leverage funding and policies that result in healthy community design that serve children and families nationwide. For additional information on the annual progress of the movement and the Safe Routes Partnership, visit here. Please Join Us! Item F Attachment A - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Proposed Item F: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 25 of 57 Safe Routes to School National Partnership Consensus Statement We believe it is time for a change. We believe that Safe Routes to School is catalyzing and inspiring safe, healthy and livable communities. Our vision is that school environments are a focal point for healthy living. Our mission and vision statements can be reviewed here. The Problem Since the 1970s, In the last 30 years we have seen a loss of mobility among our nation’s children that has severely impacted their personal health and their ability to explore their neighborhoods, even by walking or biking to school. Parents also have concerns about safety – both real and perceived – and children today have fewer opportunities to develop their independence. Consider these facts: • Within the span of a single generation, the number of children walking and bicycling to school has dramatically declined. In 1969, approximately 50% of children walked or biked to school, and 87% of children living within one mile of school did. Today, fewer than 15% of schoolchildren walk or bike to school. (CDC) • There are more than three times as many overweight children today as there were 25 years ago. (CDC, NHANES III) • As much as 20 to 30% of morning rush hour traffic can be parents driving children to schools. (Data from local communities) • Mobility: In 2009, just 13 percent of children ages 5 to 14 walked and bicycled to and from school—a dramatic drop from 1969 when nearly 50 percent of children got to school under their own power.1 • Health: Estimates show that only about half of youth meet the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans’ recommendation of at least 60 minutes of daily vigorous or moderateintensity physical activity.2 There were more than four times as many overweight children in 2008 as there were in 1965.3 Childhood obesity is associated with an increase in heart disease, stroke and diabetes. • Air Quality: A national study found that approximately one in three U.S. public schools are located in “air pollution danger zones” within a quarter mile or less of hightraffic roadways. Health effects of exposure to traffic pollution include increased respiratory illness, asthma exacerbations, decreased lung function and decreased lung growth.4,5 Air pollution also increases school absences.6 • Traffic Congestion: During the morning commute, driving to school represents 10 to 14 percent of traffic on the road.7 Item F Attachment B - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Redlined Item F: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 26 of 57 • Traffic Safety: Nationwide, 25 percent of all children’s traffic fatalities and 15 percent of all children’s traffic injuries happen when children are walking or bicycling and are struck by cars.8 • Equity: In lowincome communities, fewer sidewalks and crosswalks plus more high speed traffic9 result in a higher risk of children from lowerincome families being injured or killed by cars when walking.10 • School Location: Public school enrollment has nearly doubled since the 1930s; however, during this time the number of public schools has decreased by 60 percent,11 resulting in larger schools that are further away from the families they serve. • School Transportation: School districts are under economic pressure to cut costs and this has impacted school busing. During the 20102011 school year, approximately 22 percent of school districts made busing reductions due to fuel price increases, leaving many children without a safe way to school.12 These problems are all related to the fact that many communities lack basic infrastructure—sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, pathways, and crosswalks—and are no longer designed to encourage or allow children to walk and bicycle safely. Concerns about traffic, crime, and other obstacles result in children being driven to school, which further adds to the traffic on the road and pollution in the air and misses an important opportunity for physical activity. keep children strapped in the back seat of cars, which further adds to the traffic on the road and pollution in the air. The Solution Communities around the country are organizing Safe Routes to School programs, which have a common goal to make it safe, convenient, and fun for children to walk and bicycle to and from school like their parents did. While each program is unique, the programs have common objectives to: • Encourage students, families, and school staff to be physically active by walking and bicycling more often. • Make streets, sidewalks, pathways, trails, and crosswalks safe, convenient, and attractive for walking and bicycling to school. • Ensure that streets around schools have an adequate number of safe places to cross and that there is safe and convenient access into the school building from adjacent sidewalks. • Keep driving speeds slow near schools, on school routes, and at school crossings. • Enforce all traffic laws near schools, on school routes, and in other areas of high pedestrian and bicycle activity. • Locate schools within walking and bicycling distance of as many students as possible. • Reduce the amount of traffic around schools. Item F Attachment B - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Redlined Item F: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 27 of 57 • Use trails, pathways, and nonmotorized corridors as travel routes to schools. • Provide secure bicycle parking at schools. • Teach traffic safety skills routinely in school. Safe Routes to School programs began in several communities in the United States in the late 1990s, and spread nationwide in 2005 with the passage of the federal transportation bill SAFETEALU. A study on the use of federal funds for Safe Routes to School in five states showed that Safe Routes to School investments increased active travel to school by 37 percent.13 Safe Routes to School continues to be eligible under the 2012 federal transportation bill MAP21, and many states and communities are passing policies to provide additional Safe Routes to School funds. Safe Routes to School has proven to be an effective and popular strategy for increasing physical activity among children, improving safety, reducing pollution and engaging policy makers in community design to promote smart growth and livability. Several studies and resources about Safe Routes to School’s effectiveness are available on our website. As demand grows for healthy community design options, communities around the country are organizing Safe Routes to School programs and passing policies, with the common goals of increasing safety and improving mobility for children. Safe Routes to School also engages families and school communities to increase physical activity opportunities for children to help reverse childhood obesity trends. While each program is unique, Safe Routes to School programs and policies have common objectives: ● Mobility: Safe Routes to School gets more children walking and bicycling to schools safely, and aims to ensure that streets around schools have an adequate number of safe places to cross and access schools. ● Health: Safe Routes to School encourages students, families, and school staff to be physically active by walking and bicycling more often. Physical activity improves cardiovascular and muscular fitness, attention, cognition and mood, while decreasing the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and cancer.14 ● Air Quality: Safe Routes to School helps convert car trips to walking and bicycling trips, reducing the number of cars around schools that are producing traffic pollution. ● Traffic Congestion: Approximately 43 percent of children who live less than a mile from school are currently driven to school.15 These short trips can be shifted to walking and bicycling with the help of Safe Routes to School initiatives, easing traffic congestion on the morning commute. ● Traffic Safety: Safe Routes to School makes streets, sidewalks, pathways, trails, and crosswalks safe, convenient and attractive for walking and bicycling to school and in daily life. The impact of this safe infrastructure is amplified by enforcing all traffic laws near schools, on school routes, and in other areas of high pedestrian and Item F Attachment B - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Redlined Item F: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 28 of 57 bicycle activity, and by keeping driving speeds slow near schools, on school routes and at school crossings. ● Equity: Safe Routes to School recognizes that lowerincome communities and schools often have the highest obesity rates and most dangerous traffic safety conditions, and therefore need to be prioritized for infrastructure improvements. ● School Location: Safe Routes to School seeks to locate schools within walking and bicycling distance of as many students as possible, and not along busy streets (which are dangerous to cross and expose children to higher air pollution). It is also important to ensure high quality, equitable and diverse schools. ● School Transportation: Safe Routes to School programs are a critical tool for school districts seeking to manage transportation costs, by prioritizing improvements in areas close enough where children could walk or bicycle to school but are currently bused due to “hazard busing” conditions. Every community is unique, so every Safe Routes to School program must respond differently. Successful programs include some combination or all of the following approaches to improve conditions for safe walking and bicycling: • Equity: Ensuring that Safe Routes to School initiatives are benefiting all demographic groups, with particular attention to ensuring safe, healthy, and fair outcomes for low income students, students of color, students of all genders, students with disabilities, and others. • Engagement: Listening and working with students, families, and organizations to be intentional in programming. • Encouragement – Using events and activities to promote walking and bicycling. • Education – Teaching children about the broad range of transportation choices, instructing them in important lifelong safety skills, and launching driver safety campaigns. • Engineering – Creating operational and physical improvements to the infrastructure surrounding schools, reducing speeds, and establishing safe crosswalks and pathways. • Enforcement – Partnering with local law enforcement to ensure drivers obey traffic laws, and initiating community enforcement such as crossing guard programs. • Evaluation – Monitoring and researching outcomes and trends through the collection of data. Our nation continues to learn about best practices for Safe Routes to School programs and policies. As the Safe Routes to School movement matures, it is critical to evaluate the most effective and equitable uses of funding. Item F Attachment B - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Redlined Item F: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 29 of 57 The Partnership The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is comprised of multiple constituencies at the local, state, and national levels. It includes: ● Parents, students and educators ● Health professionals ● Transportation, urban planning, and engineering professionals ● Policy makers ● Business leaders ● Community groups ● Social equity leaders ● Walking and bicycling advocates ● Environmental advocates ● Safety and injury prevention advocates • Parents • Students • Educators • Government officials • Business leaders • Community groups • Advocates for bicycling and walking • Law enforcement officers • Transportation, urban planning, engineering, and health professionals • Health, conservation, and safety advocates The Safe Routes to School National Partnership works to support the development and implementation of programs by: • Setting goals for successful implementation. • Sharing information with all interested parties. • Working to secure funding resources for Safe Routes to Schools programs. • Providing policy input to implementing agencies. • Providing training and resource materials to assist communities in starting a Safe Routes to School program. • Illustrating the cost effectiveness of Safe Routes to School programs. Item F Attachment B - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Redlined Item F: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 30 of 57 • Providing a unified voice for Safe Routes to School. Through forming the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, we call on you to join us in giving children back the sense of freedom and responsibility that comes from walking or bicycling to and from school. Together, we can again provide children with the opportunity to know their neighborhoods enjoy fresh air and arrive at school alert, refreshed and ready to start the day. As partners in the Safe Routes to Schools National Partnership, we are transforming children’s lives and their communities. The Safe Routes Partnership is a leading national organization advancing policies, strategies and programs which connect transportation with safe, healthy community designs that increase physical activity opportunities for children, families and schools. We achieve our mission by focusing on advancing policy change, and inspiring action and leadership in states and local communities, and sharing our deep knowledge and expertise through a wide range of programs, initiatives and partnerships. In 2012, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognized the Safe Routes Partnership with the Game Changer Award, one of six Pioneering Innovation Awards. The award recognized the Safe Routes Partnership for its accomplishments that have led to paradigm shifts that have advanced obesity prevention efforts. The Safe Routes Partnership will continue to evolve to advance the overall movement, mobilize the grassroots, work with policy makers and serve as a catalyst to leverage funding and policies that result in healthy community design that serve children and families nationwide. For additional information on the annual progress of the movement and the Safe Routes Partnership, visit here. Please Join Us! Item F Attachment B - Safe Routes to School Partnership Consensus Statement - Redlined Item F: Staff Report Pg. 13 Packet Pg. 31 of 57 CITY/SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE POLICY CITY/SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY COMMITTEE BYLAWS (Updated Draft Proposed 2025) The City/School Transportation Safety Committee (the “Committee”) is composed of (i) representatives of the Palo Alto PTA Council (“PTAC”), (ii) City of Palo Alto (“City”) staff, and (iii) Palo Alto Unified School District (“District”) staff, which serve in an advisory capacity to the City Manager and the District Superintendent, respectively, as well as the joint City/School Liaison Committee, on matters relating to school transportation safety for students. Administrative Procedures: 1. Voting Committee Members (“Voting Members”)a.One representative from the City Office of Transportationb.One representative from the Police Departmentc.One representative from the District administrationd.One representative from District principalse.Three Transportation Safety Representative liaisons approved by PTAC, which shall includePTAC’s Safe Routes to School chairperson and deputy chairperson(s) 2.Meetings. In order to promote cooperation within the community, meetings shall be regular, well-publicizedand open to the public. A chairperson shall be elected annually by the Voting Members. Procedures for setting the agenda, recording minutes, receiving requests for action, etc., shall be discussed by the Committee at its organizational meeting each year. On an annual basis all new Committee members will receive a briefing by the Committee chairperson on policies and procedures. All Committee members will be provided materials on City and State ordinances regarding safety control devices and other relevant information needed to make informed decisions. 3.Duties and Responsibilities. The Committee shall guide and coordinate all engineering, education,encouragement, engagement, evaluation and equity-related activities connected with the school transportation safety program. The committee's primary duties shall include the following: a.Recommend general policies and procedures regarding school transportation safety. b.Evaluate the adequacy of the school transportation safety program. c.Receive, review and process complaints and requests involving school transportationsafety. d.Review any and all improvement projects involving school transportation safety. e.Promote good communication, understanding, and provide liaison with the community at large. f.Initiate recommendations for immediate remedial action to appropriate city and/orschool officials when necessary to correct school transportation safety problems considered to be of an emergency nature. g.Provide information to local school communities on suggested routes to school. 4.Appeals. Recourse to the above action by any person or group should follow the normal channels withinthe City, District and PTAC organizational structure. Item F Attachment C - City School Transportation Safety Committee Bylaws - Proposed Item F: Staff Report Pg. 14 Packet Pg. 32 of 57 CITY/SCHOOL TRAFFICTRANSPORTATION SAFETY COMMITTEE POLICYBYLAWS (Updated Draft Proposed 2025) The City/School TrafficTransportation Safety Committee (the “Committee”) is composed of community members,(i) representatives of the Palo Alto PTA Council (“PTAC”), (ii) City of Palo Alto (“City”) staff, and (iii) Palo Alto Unified School District (“District”) staff that serves, which serve in an advisory capacity to the City Manager and the District Superintendent, respectively, as well as the joint City/School Liaison Committee, on matters relating to school traffictransportation safety for students. Administrative Procedures: 1. Voting Committee Members (“Voting Members”) a. a. One representative from the City Office of Transportation Division b. b. One representative from the Police Department c. c. One representative from the District administration d. d. One representative from District principals e. Three representatives from the PTA Traffic Safety Board e. Three Transportation Safety Representative liaisons approved by PTAC, which shall include PTAC’s Safe Routes to School chairperson and deputy chairperson(s) 2. Meetings. In order to promote cooperation within the community, meetings shall be regular, well-publicized and open to the public. A chairperson shall be elected annually by the committee.Voting Members. Procedures for setting the agenda, recording minutes, receiving requests for action, etc., shall be determineddiscussed by the committeeCommittee at its organizational meeting each year. On an annual basis all new committeeCommittee members will receive a briefing by the committeeCommittee chairperson on the C/STSC policies and procedures. All C/STSCCommittee members will be provided materials on City and State ordinances regarding safety control devices and other relevant information needed to make informed decisions. 3. Duties and Responsibilities. The Committee shall guide and coordinate all engineering, education, encouragement, engagement, evaluation and equity-related activities connected with the school traffictransportation safety program. The committee's primary duties shall include the following: a. a. Recommend general policies and procedures regarding school traffictransportation safety. b. b. Evaluate the adequacy of the school traffictransportation safety program. c. c. Receive, review and process complaints and requests involving school traffictransportation safety. d. d. Review any and all improvement projects involving school traffictransportation safety. Item F Attachment D - City School Transportation Safety Committee Bylaws - Redlined Item F: Staff Report Pg. 15 Packet Pg. 33 of 57 e. e. Promote good communication, understanding, and provide liaison with the community at large. f. f. Initiate recommendations for immediate remedial action to appropriate city and/or school officials when necessary to correct school traffictransportation safety problems considered to be of an emergency nature. g. g. Provide information to local school communities on suggested routes to school. 4. Appeals. Recourse to the above action by any person or group should follow the normal channels within the City and, District and PTAC organizational structure. Item F Attachment D - City School Transportation Safety Committee Bylaws - Redlined Item F: Staff Report Pg. 16 Packet Pg. 34 of 57 April 1, 2025 Safe Routes to School 2022-25 Annual Update Presenter: Rose Mesterhazy, Sr. Planner Office of Transportation www.cityofpaloalto.org/saferoutes Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 17 Packet Pg. 35 of 57 ●Safe Routes to School Partnership (SRTS) Overview ●Celebrating Safe Routes Achievements ●2022-25 Safe Routes to School Program Highlights ●2022-24 Travel Tally and Secondary Bike Count Analysis ●Program and Policy Recommendations PRESENTATION OVERVIEW April 1, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org/saferoutes Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 18 Packet Pg. 36 of 57 Pare n t s PTA ●Advocacy - Transportation safety parent/student voice ●Engage key decision-makers ●Host encouragement events ●Recruit Parent Transportation Safety Representatives and volunteers City ●Bicycle and pedestrian education ●Transportation safety improvements ●Vehicle code enforcement ●Program evaluation ●Monthly partnership meetings ●Event assistance ●Program communications ●Walk & Roll Route Map Development PAUSD ●Bicycle and pedestrian safety education scheduling ●School campus access ●Bicycle parking ●Construct walk/bike facilities ●Yellow school bus access ●Distribute K-12 Travel Tallies ●Distribute transportation communications ●Walk and Roll Route Map Distribution SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP OVERVIEW Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 19 Packet Pg. 37 of 57 Active School Commute Metrics National Palo Alto 11%53%42% National walk/bike school commute percentage1 Mean estimate of 2024 Palo Alto walk/bike school commutes2 Mean estimate of the difference between local and national walk/bike school commutes3 CELEBRATING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS -Photo via Shana Segal-Photo via David Bruce, Youtube Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 20 Packet Pg. 38 of 57 Health Education Environment 16,900,000 23,400 35,700,000 Total estimated number of K-12 walk/bicycle-based school commutes since 2016.4 Mean estimate of the number of students receiving in-school pedestrian and bicycle safety education since 1994.5 Mean estimated pounds of polluting greenhouse gas emissions reduced by walk/bicycle-based school commutes since 2016.6 Health, Education and Environmental Metrics CELEBRATING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 21 Packet Pg. 39 of 57 Traffic Congestion Bike Facilities Maps 33,800,000 76 20 Mean estimate of the number of four-way car trips eliminated from school commute corridors since 2016.7 Miles of city-designated school commute route-specific bicycle lanes, bicycle boulevards and shared-use pathways.8 Number of city and school community-created PAUSD Walk and Roll Suggested Route Maps developed since 2016.9 Traffic and Roadway Metrics CELEBRATING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 22 Packet Pg. 40 of 57 Community Engagement Metrics City/School Transportation Safety Committee Parent Safety Leads (TSRs) Bike Rodeo/Bicycle Life Skill Community Support 240 450 68,010 Estimated number of PTA, Palo Alto Unified School District and City of Palo Alto monthly meetings held since 1994.10 Estimated number of PTA-appointed school Transportation Safety Representatives since 1994.11 Estimated number of PAUSD Third Grade Bike Safety Rodeo participating student and community volunteers since 1994.12 CELEBRATING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 23 Packet Pg. 41 of 57 2022-2025 SRTS Partnership 6 ‘E’ Highlights Engineering Education Engagement Encouragement Equity Evaluation Key Highlight Greendell Bike Path Creation New County -Funded SRTS Middle/High School Coordinator Police Officer/ Community Service Officer ‘Adopt a School’ program Bike Palo Alto In-Person Event Bike Equity Initiative 86% Five Year Action Plan Completion Rate Secondary Highlights 466 Bike Racks Added to PAUSD School Sites El Camino School Route Intersection Improvements Traffic Garden Approved for Ventura Community Center Educational Contract Consolidation E-bike Safety Messaging Two New Crossing Guards Resolution, Consensus Statement and Bylaws Updates Bike/Ped Plan & Safe Streets Action Plan Feedback Heart and Soul Roll Community Ride Middle/Hig h School Bike Repair Third Grade Bike Rodeo 100% Approval Rating in 2024 Enhanced Bike Count and Travel Tally Tables CELEBRATING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 24 Packet Pg. 42 of 57 PAUSD K-12 CLASSROOM TRAVEL TALLY SUMMARY Grade 2024 Car 2024 Carpool 2024 Transit 2024 Walk 2024 Bike* 2024 Walk/Bike Mean Summary 2016-19 Walk/Bike Mean Summary 2021-24 Walk/Bike Mean Summary Difference btw. 2016-19 and 2021-24 Walk/Bike Mean K-5 (%) 54%2%4%22%17%40% 40%39%-1% K-5 (#)2320 103 152 941 745 1686 2010 1668 -341 6-8 (%) 30%2%4%13%50%63%70%66%-4% 6-8(#)700 44 104 304 1155 1459 2038 1519 -519 9-12 (%) 37%5%1%10%46%57%60%57%-3% 9-12(#)1311 166 49 369 1638 2007 2409 2124 -285 K-12 (%) 41%3%3%15%38%53%57%54%-3% K-12 (#)4331 313 305 1614 3538 5152 6457 5311 -1146 Sum -8% *Includes e-bikes at 4 percent or 127 users, reflecting no percentage change from the previous year when e-bike data collection began Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 25 Packet Pg. 43 of 57 ●To eliminate yearly enrollment fluctuations, percentage counts are the preferred metric. Parked bicycles count numbers provide general context about average daily ridership numbers PTA GRADES 6-8 SEPT. BIKE RACK COUNTS: 2003-24 2004-13 data are condensed to improve readability but reflect a mean two percent year-over-year increase. Data for those years is referenced in Appendix D of the 2022-25 SRTS Annual Report Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 26 Packet Pg. 44 of 57 PTA GRADES 9-12 SEPT. BIKE RACK COUNTS: 2003-24 ●To eliminate yearly enrollment fluctuations, percentage counts are the preferred metric. Parked bicycles count numbers provide general context about average daily ridership numbers 2004-13 data are condensed to improve readability but reflect a mean three percent year-over-year increase. Data for those years is referenced in Appendix D of the 2022-25 SRTS Annual Report Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 27 Packet Pg. 45 of 57 ANALYSIS: POTENTIAL WALK/BIKE/TRANSIT TREND FACTORS ●Changing community priorities ●Limited youth education ●Reduced transit options ●Changes to school site access ●Limited school community engagement and outreach opportunities Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 28 Packet Pg. 46 of 57 TITLE 40 FONT BOLD Subtitle 32 font ●Endorse a revised SRTS Consensus Statement and Bylaws to support ongoing, partner-focused collaborations ●Expand grades 7-12 bike safety education and increase middle/high school student and parent engagement via the newly hired SRTS Planner ●Identify youth-initiated strategies for improving access to existing fixed route transit services ●Develop recommendations to support the ongoing integration of transportation safety considerations into school site access protocols ●Engage in the development of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update to enhance public awareness of proposed transportation projects ANALYSIS: PROGRAM AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 29 Packet Pg. 47 of 57 ROSE MESTERHAZY Safe Routes to School Senior Planner Office of Transportation rose.mesterhazy@cityofpaloalto.org (650) 329-2157 Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 30 Packet Pg. 48 of 57 Pocket Slides for Reference Only Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 31 Packet Pg. 49 of 57 Slides 4-7 Metric Analysis 1.National Data: National Walk/Bike Statistics: Children’s Travel to School: 2017 National Household Travel Survey 2.Palo Alto: 2024-25 Travel Tally Data: Data available upon request at saferoutes@cityofpaloalto.org 3.National vs. Local Student Mode-share: 2017 National Household Travel Survey and 2024-25 School Year Travel Tally Data 4.Health: Total 2-way walk, scooter, skate, skateboard and bike trips between 2016-2024 (16,910,441) = Mean enrollment of elementary, middle and high school students * mean percentage * 2 trips per day *180 school days per year = 2,114,000 per year * 8 years: Palo Alto: 2024-25 Travel Tally Data: Data available upon request at saferoutes@cityofpaloalto.org 5.Education: PAUSD 2011-2024 K-12 cohort mean (10,185) + PAUSD 1997-2010 K-12 cohort mean (11,043).+ PAUSD 1993-1996 grades 3, 5 and 6 cohort mean =2153. CSLC Presentation: Nov. 15, 2012. Slide 3: 1993: Reduce risk of crashes via lessons in 3rd, 5th & 6th grade . 2000: Pedestrian safety lessons added to Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd grade. PAUSD Grade level enrollment data: 1993-Present. Data available upon request at saferoutes@cityofpaloalto.org 6.Environment: 4 trips per day (drop-off and pick-up, to and from school) per students; Elementary school students travel 1-mile per trip, Middle/high school students travel 1.5 miles per trip; Car Efficiency: 25 miles per gallon; 180 school days/per school year. EPA Carbon Footprint Calculator: https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/ 7.Traffic Congestion: Total number of elementary, middle and high school students who walked, scootered, skated, skateboarded, and biked between 2016-2024 * 4 (4 trips per day: drop-off and pick-up, to and from school) * 180 (180 school days per year): Palo Alto: 2024-25 Travel Tally Data: Data available upon request at saferoutes@cityofpaloalto.org 8.Bike Facilities: City of Palo Alto GIS School Route Commute Data: Data available upon request at saferoutes@cityofpaloalto.org 9.SRTS Walk and Roll Route Maps. Includes maps for East Palo Alto, Santa Rita (Los Altos) and Greendell: www.cityofpaloalto.org/saferoutes 10.City School Transportation Safety Committee: Assumes eight yearly meetings (3 fall/5 winter/spring) * 30 = 240 11.Transportation Safety Representatives: Assumes 17 TSRs/year for 30 years 12.Bike Rodeos: Assumes one third grade event/year at each K-5 school (12) since 1994. 12*30 = 360 minus 9 skipped events in 2020 due to social distancing considerations, + or - 1 for potential cancellations 13.Note: Metrics comparing 2016 data reflects that travel tally collection for secondary schools beginning in 2016 Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 32 Packet Pg. 50 of 57 2022 PAUSD K-12 CLASSROOM TRAVEL TALLY SUMMARY Grade 2022 Car 2022 Carpool 2022 Transit 2022 Walk 2022 Bike 2022 Walk/Bike Mean Summary K-5 (%) 56%3%3%21%17%38% K-5 (#)2391 128 128 896 727 1622 6-8 (%) 29%2%2%12%57%69% 6-8 (#)657 45 45 272 1292 1564 9-12 (%) 36%5%2%9%48%57% 9-12(#)1364 190 76 341 1819 2160 K-12 (%) 40%3%2%14%41%55% K-12 (#)4130 310 207 1446 4233 5679 Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 33 Packet Pg. 51 of 57 2023 PAUSD K-12 CLASSROOM TRAVEL TALLY SUMMARY Grade 2023 Car 2023 Carpool 2023 Transit 2023 Walk 2023 Bike 2023 Walk/Bike Mean Summary K-5 (%) 53%3%3%22%17%39% K-5(#)1872 106 106 777 601 1378 6-8 (%) 26%2%7%12%54%66% 6-8 (#)607 47 163 280 1260 1540 9-12 (%) 34%6%4%8%47%55% 9-12 (#)1240 219 146 292 1422 2006 K-12 (%) 38%4%5%14%39%53% K-12 (#)3615 381 476 1332 3710 5042 Item F Item F Staff Presentation CSLC Item F: Staff Report Pg. 34 Packet Pg. 52 of 57 April 1, 2025 SRTS PARTNERSHIP CONSENSUS STATEMENT AND BYLAWS UPCOMING REQUESTED ACTION Presenters: Lara Anthony and Melissa Oliveira PTAC SRTS Co-Chairs Item F Item F Staff Presentation PTA Item F: Staff Report Pg. 35 Packet Pg. 53 of 57 ●Safe Routes to School in-school education began in the 1994-1995 academic year (it’s the 30th Anniversary!) ●Resolutions adopted in 2005-2006 by City Council, Palo Alto Unified School District, and the Palo Alto Council of PTAs adopted Consensus Statement and confirmed partners’ commitment to SRTS program ●Objective was to address declines in walking and biking and to support the introduction of a federally-funded SRTS program ●Today Palo Alto walk/bike rates are >50% compared to national avg around 10% Celebrating 30 Years of Safe Routes to School Partnership!Item F Item F Staff Presentation PTA Item F: Staff Report Pg. 36 Packet Pg. 54 of 57 TITLE 40 FONT BOLD Subtitle 32 font ●Draft Resolutions endorse an updated Consensus Statement as well as Bylaws for the City/School Transportation Safety Committee (CSTSC), and reaffirms partners’ commitment to the SRTS program ●Proposed National Consensus Statement reflects maturity of program, updated data, and replaces “Enforcement” with broader “Engagement” plus “Equity” as the pillars of the SRTS program ●Proposed Bylaws rename the City School Traffic Safety Committee the City School Transportation Safety Committee and preserve the constitution of the CSTSC voting partnership members (which includes PAPD as voting member notwithstanding change in language) PROPOSED UPDATES Item F Item F Staff Presentation PTA Item F: Staff Report Pg. 37 Packet Pg. 55 of 57 TITLE 40 FONT BOLD Subtitle 32 font ●Endorse SRTS Consensus Statement and Bylaws ●(PAUSD) Schedule Board of Education Vote on Resolution and permit SRTS to give informational presentation to BOE ○April 21, 2025: Council Vote on Resolution ○Draft Consensus Statement and Bylaws were approved by the Palo Alto Council of PTAs on Feb. 19, 2025 and by CSTSC on Feb. 27, 2025 REQUESTED ACTIONS Item F Item F Staff Presentation PTA Item F: Staff Report Pg. 38 Packet Pg. 56 of 57 LARA ANTHONY AND MELISSA OLIVEIRA City/School Transportation Safety Committee PTAC Co-Liaisons lara.anthony@gmail.com, melissa.gibson@gmail.com Item F Item F Staff Presentation PTA Item F: Staff Report Pg. 39 Packet Pg. 57 of 57