Safe Schools Program Research Articles

Newer New Jersey work-based learning teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: school safety regarding ventilation, trainings, and awareness of government agencies resources

ABSTRACT New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program (NJSS) provides code-required trainings for NJ teachers supervising students in work-based learning (WBL) experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased use of chemical cleaning, sanitization, and disinfectant products (CSDPs) led to ventilation and other health concerns. NJSS conducted two surveys of newer NJ WBL teachers between October 2021 and June 2023, with a follow-up in fall 2022 for those who completed initial surveys before summer 2022. This study focused on questions regarding workspace ventilation; respirator and CSDPs trainings; awareness of government resources for safety and health (S&H); and demographics. Over 65% of participant classrooms have operable windows or ventilation systems, while 13% of school salons have ceiling fans. Half of participants didn’t receive training on handling CSDPs, although 90% were aware of government S&H resources. Data suggested teachers have well-ventilated workspaces and are aware of different resources available, which is important to continue post COVID-19.

Perspectives and Attitudes of Newer New Jersey High School Teachers towards Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Consumer Products Used in School Classrooms.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increased reported use of chemical cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products (CSDPs), which created public concerns about negative health consequences for both children and adults in public schools. A subset of newer teachers shared experiences regarding safety and health (S&H) while working in school-based settings through a series of online surveys. Surveys were provided to teachers who completed work-based learning supervisory trainings provided by the New Jersey Safe Schools Program between October 2021 and June 2023. The participants answered questions focusing on CSDPs purchased for school use, their attitudes towards CSDPs, their use of personal protective equipment, and symptoms employees may have had due to CSDPs. A total of 205 teacher participants successfully completed the surveys. Over 25% of the teachers did not know where their CSDPs originated from, as they were provided by the school. Most participants "sometimes", "not often", or "never" read labels for CSDP ingredients or looked them up on healthy product apps. The participants (60%) tended to wear gloves while cleaning/disinfecting but did not wear masks. A third of the participants experienced respiratory health problems after working at school. Overall, the data suggest that more education on S&H regarding CSDPs needs to be provided to New Jersey teachers.

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Case Status among New Jersey Secondary Educational Professionals.

Vaccine hesitancy remains a societal problem, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program provides work-based learning training to supervisory-level career-technical-vocational education teachers and administrators who have to consider varied state and local mandates concerning COVID-19 vaccination and exemptions. In early 2022, we distributed an online survey via PsychData to individuals trained between 2014 and 2022 to understand NJ teachers' practices and concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Overall, 269 completed the survey. We stratified data by vaccination status, number of doses, booster status, age, teaching experience, gender, race, county of work, and COVID-19 diagnosis status. Overall, results suggested differences in COVID-19-related concerns, including access to, perceptions of, and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19-related practices. About 90.7% received the initial vaccine; 77.7% received the booster. About half the participants had received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis by the time of the survey; they were less likely to get the vaccine or booster if they had received the initial vaccine. Data suggested differences in levels of COVID-19-related concerns and confidence in, or importance of, vaccines when comparing different demographic factors and vaccination practices. The data informs efforts to understand factors affecting vaccine hesitancy among educational professionals.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Awareness of New Jersey Public High School Students about Concepts of Climate Change, including Environmental Justice.

Increasing acknowledgement of climate change (CC) has encouraged various responses, such as education standard mandates. In 2021, New Jersey (NJ) became the first U.S. state to require K-12 CC education across subjects, effective fall 2022. This necessitated introductory science courses on CC to support high school (HS) curricula. Thus, NJ Safe Schools Program (NJSS) created a new course titled, "Introduction to HS Students to CC, Sustainability, and Environmental Justice (EJ)." Given that the COVID-19 pandemic continues (2020-2023 school years) and vaccination coverage varies, this course was developed and approved in an asynchronous online format. Its five modules cover environmental science, CC, natural disasters and extreme weather events, sustainability, including energy conservation and efficiency definitions, and EJ. A 20-question survey included at the end, modified/adapted from a larger nationwide U.S. Student Conservation Association (SCA) survey 2019-2020, examined the perspectives of HS students concerning CC. Selected volunteer NJ HS enlisted students (n = 82/128 finished) to pilot this course February-April 2022. Results such as average scores ≥90% suggested success regarding initial knowledge and awareness gained; for individual modules, two knowledge checks >80% and three knowledge checks >90%. The SCA survey results, overall and by region in NJ, highlighted how most students felt about CC and extreme weather events, plus issues such as EJ. This NJSS introductory course opened in July 2022 for NJ public county secondary school districts and comprehensive HS with approved career-technical education programs, and potentially elsewhere.

Assessing Indicators of Mental Health Distress Among New Jersey High School Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jersey K-12 schools closed, and teachers were required to conduct classroom lessons and school-sponsored activities online. Since spring 2020, teachers and students have experienced the physical, mental, and emotional stress COVID-19 has had in the United States. Methods: To better understand potential mental health effects COVID-19 has had on New Jersey teachers, the New Jersey Safe Schools Program implemented the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6+) self-assessment survey as a workplace violence related activity during one of the four required trainings New Jersey Safe Schools offers for New Jersey career-technical education work-based learning supervisor certification (N=313). The K6+ is intended to measure distress over four weeks prior to administration. The K6+ was conducted using Mentimeter and included Likert scales, multiple choice, and two-character open response questions. Results: Between January 2022-June 2023, of 336 teachers, 313 completed the K6+. Overall, 239 teachers (76%) and 235 teachers (75%) expressed feeling "nervous" and "restless or fidgety," respectively, during the past 30 days from when the survey was administered. Of 313 teachers, 38 teachers (12%) received a total score between 13-24, suggesting or indicating potential mental distress, in response to the first item of the K6+. Conclusion: This preliminary study presents insights concerning potential mental health effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on New Jersey teachers. These data recognize the feelings expressed by New Jersey teachers working during the pandemic and can provide guidance to schools to better address identified needs, including employee wellness and positive social and emotional school environments.

Case study in New Jersey on perceptions and concerns during COVID-19: Lessons for safety and health during future work-based learning

Background: The New Jersey Safe Schools Program provides training courses to secondary school educational professionals to supervise students in work-based learning. COVID-19 suspended in-person training courses and work-based learning. As worksites reopened, concerns persisted regarding implementation of work-based learning, and safety and health. After site visits, participants completed reflection assignments. Methods: We examined statewide data from a three-day training, "Designing and Implementing Student Training Plans," from 61 participants in spring-summer 2020 regarding concerns for work-based learning during COVID-19. Qualitative analysis on open-ended responses determined emerging themes through inductive, qualitative coding in Microsoft Office spreadsheet software, Excel, followed by import of a spreadsheet-based code book to NVivo, a qualitative data analysis software tool. Results: Data revealed supervisor perspectives pertaining to re-establishing work-based learning programs (33%), COVID-19 safety and reopening measures (24%), student safety and health (17%), obstacles for in-person work-based learning (9%), future work-based learning placements (7%), and online work-based learning opportunities (4%). Conclusion: Data suggested adaptations for future in-person work-based learning experiences; future online student work placements and safety and health trainings; and insights on improving in-school learning and occupational education for students.

Survey of New Jersey K-12 Professionals on Work-Based Learning During COVID-19: A Preliminary Study and Future Implications.

The New Jersey Safe Schools Program (NJSS) offers an online professional development certification course, titled "Designing and Implementing Student Training Plans," for NJ high school (HS) teachers developing secondary school student work-based learning (WBL) programs. WBL provides students opportunities to engage in career-related field tasks, aligned to curricular instruction. In January-July 2021, during 7 cohorts of trainings, questions in the training's assignment gauged teacher and student concerns regarding worksite placements during the COVID-19 pandemic, learning delivery format preferences, and alternative activities for WBL credit. In January-July 2021, 68 of 134 HS teachers (51%) were concerned placing students in WBL and indicated "no" and "I don't know" (37% and 31%, respectively) about employer willingness to offer virtual mentorship during the pandemic. This preliminary study presents insights of newly credentialed WBL supervisory HS teachers regarding impacts of COVID-19 on student health and workplace safety, preferred WBL formats, and potential implementation of COVID-19 safety trainings.

An Outcomes-based Evaluation of the Mindfulness for Safe Schools Program

Objectives. The objective of this evaluation was to assess the effectiveness of Mindfulness for Safe Schools, a mindfulness-based intervention adapted for sexual abuse prevention during peer-to-peer dating among Filipino public school children in Grades 7 and 8. It was hoped that through the intervention, children would be able to regulate their emotions so that they do not react impulsively to emotionally stimulating events, especially during peer dating. The study consists of four levels of evaluation: reaction, learnings, and behaviors of teachers toward the program, as well as effect of the intervention on emotion regulation and peer conformity among students.
 Methods. This study utilized a mixed methods design using a concurrent embedded method. For teachers, quantitative surveys and focused group discussions were conducted to determine their reactions to the training, their learnings, and behaviors after the program, as well as their observations of students’ responses to the intervention. Focused group discussions were analyzed through thematic analysis. Effect of the program on emotion regulation and peer conformity among students were determined mainly through a pre and post-test survey and analyzed through paired samples t-test. Video content analysis of the classroom delivery was also conducted to determine student engagement during the program.
 Results. Teachers reacted favorably to the training workshops and were able to use what they learned from the workshops to increase their patience and understanding towards themselves, their job, and their students. Students also reacted favorably to the Mindfulness for Safe Schools modules and were observed to use the skills taught in the modules to regulate their emotions. Emotion regulation improved (t=3.47, significant with p=0.00) and susceptibility to peer pressure decreased (t=8.94, significant with p=0.00) for Grade 8 students (n=950) after the modules were delivered. However, teachers reported implementation issues, such as conflicting requirements of the program with their official workload, which may have affected program effects.
 Conclusion. Our findings indicate that Mindfulness for Safe Schools was associated with improvements in emotional awareness, management of negative emotions, and showing care and respect for student peers. It also suggests that integrating mindfulness interventions in schools requires close coordination with all stakeholders: teachers, schools, and appropriate government divisions to ensure fidelity and reaching desired effects.

Online and in-Person Violence, Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying in New Jersey: 2011-2016.

New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program, primarily funded by the NJ Department of Education, has aims concerning safety and health including helping to alleviate harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) in secondary school because HIB can affect learning. We evaluated officially reported adolescent HIB total incidents and estimated rates in NJ public city and county school districts for the 2011-2016 school years. A cross-sectional observational study using population-based state-reported public data. We calculated point prevalence and incidence rates for K-12 students in 22 public city school districts, students in 21 career-technical-vocational education (CTE) school districts, and 8 special services school districts during 2011-2016. HIB is prevalent in NJ school classrooms. HIB comprised ≥75% of total officially reported in-school violence-related incidents in a given school year. Rates per 100 enrollees of total officially reported incidents for the 5-year period of 2011-2016 was highest in special services school districts (5.00; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.67, 5.34) followed by CTE districts (1.94; 95% CI: 1.86, 2.01), and lowest in city districts (1.46; 95% CI: 1.44, 1.48). The special services school district also had the highest rates per year and the 5-year period. Data analyses suggested ideas for further research and improvements for school HIB incident reports. Policies and programs could remedy issues observed in state secondary school classrooms. Best practices within districts and schools can help protect students from HIB and promote safety, health, learning, and maturation.

Parental attitudes to the Australian anti-bullying Safe Schools program: a critical discourse analysis

LGBTIQ children and adolescents experience disproportionate levels of bullying. Safe Schools, an Australian anti-bullying program, has recently been a site of public debate, with parents and their imagined concerns being central to the debate. This study investigated how parents construct gender, sexuality, and bullying, in relation to Safe Schools. Utilising Critical Discourse Analysis, we analysed 11 parent interviews and identified four broad discursive themes: heterosexual anxiety, transhysteria, the contested ecology of bullying, and resistance. Many parents feared that children will be harmed mentally and sexually by exposure to the program, and that bullying is an isolated phenomenon. These attitudes serve a social function of maintaining heterosexual and cisgender hegemony, and a psychic function of disavowing the fluid nature of subjectivity. There was also evidence of resistance to these attitudes, with many contending that Safe Schools is necessary, due to bullying being viewed as a social phenomenon informed by homophobia and transphobia. Hostility towards transgender people was notable amongst parents. The discourses identified in this research highlight the strength of current anxieties around children and sexual subjectivity and how they function to undermine the lives of LGBTIQ people, including children who would benefit most from a meaningful implementation of Safe Schools.

Reported injury, hospitalization, and injury fatality rates among New Jersey adolescent workers

BackgroundWorkplace injuries are a public health concern, including among adolescents and young adults. Secondary school career-technical-vocational education related injuries are mandated by code under jurisdiction of New Jersey Department of Education to be reported online to New Jersey Safe Schools Program. These are the only U.S. law-based surveillance data for young workers in secondary school career-technical-vocational education. New Jersey Department of Health’s hospitalization and fatality records provide additional information about other secondary school career-technical-vocational education and non- secondary school career-technical-vocational education related injuries not necessarily reported to New Jersey Safe Schools Program. This report compared data available to the New Jersey Department of Health and New Jersey Safe Schools Program on injuries among young workers ages 14–21 years.MethodsAnnual work-related hospitalizations, 2007–2016, were abstracted from hospital discharge data. Denominator data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics was used to estimate annual crude rate of hospitalizations per 100,000 employed persons. Hospitalization rates were stratified by demographic data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hospitalization rates for primary diagnoses and job title/status with ≥2 documented cases were reported. Annual crude fatality rates per 100,000 full time equivalent workers, age ≥ 16 years, were estimated for 1990–2016 using annual average full time equivalent workers and the U.S. National Institute Occupational Safety and Health’s Employed Labor Force Query System as denominator.ResultsAnnual crude hospitalization rates decreased over time. Hospitalization and fatality rates were higher among young adult workers ages 19–21 years; non-Hispanic Whites; and, males. Percent fatality for ages 19–21 years was greater than ages 14–17 years and 18 years. Declines in hospitalization rates corresponded to decreases in reported injuries among career-technical-vocational education students. Age distribution varied slightly between hospital discharge data and New Jersey Safe Schools Program data.ConclusionHospitalization and fatality rates were higher among males than among females, possibly reflecting a tendency for males to engage in riskier jobs than females. Understanding injury disparities can inform public health prevention efforts. Trainings/interventions should aim at addressing the most frequently diagnosed conditions or nature of reported injuries, within those most impacted career clusters like sales/restaurant workers.

Injuries among young workers in career-technical-vocational education and associations with per pupil spending

BackgroundNew Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) requires by law for accidents/incidents (injury) involving career-technical-vocational education (CTE) students and staff to be reported within five business days to the NJ Safe Schools Program (NJSS) using an online surveillance system. NJ public schools and charter schools (CS) through school districts (SD) or county offices report school data annually to NJDOE, including per pupil spending (PPS). In this study, we examined potential associations of PPS with several variables on injury in NJ: injury cause, injury location on the body, injury type, injury severity, use of PPE, and location of treatment for injury.MethodsPPS data for December 1998–June 2015 from CTE SDs (one per NJ county, n = 21), four CS SD and eight county special services districts were analyzed. T-test examined potential differences in PPS regarding injury severity and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Stepwise logistic regression assessed potential associations between PPS and various injury surveillance variables.ResultsThere were more CTE injuries reported among SD with lower PPS than among SD with higher PPS. Relatively less severe injuries, e.g., bruise/bumps and cuts/lacerations, more often occurred at schools and SD with higher PPS. Conversely, relatively more severe injuries, e.g., fractures, more often occurred at schools and SD with lower PPS.ConclusionFuture research should further investigate disparities regarding younger worker injuries reported within school-based career-technical-vocational education programs by PPS and other factors like sex or gender, severity, safety training provided and work experience at time of injury.

Gender dysphoria and the controversy over the Safe Schools program.

The Safe Schools program has attracted great controversy. On one end of the spectrum, it is defended as an anti-bullying program for young people who identify themselves as gay or lesbian, or have issues concerning their gender identity. On the other end of the spectrum, it is regarded as social engineering. This article seeks to promote a discussion of the way in which gender identity issues are addressed in the Safe Schools program. It is argued that the information in this program to Principals, teachers and young people is inaccurate and misleading. The program, as presently designed, may actually cause harm to children and young people who experience gender identity issues because it promotes gender transitioning without expert medical advice. The Safe Schools materials do not acknowledge that the great majority of children resolve gender dysphoria issues around the time of puberty. It may be much more difficult for a child to accept his or her gender at puberty if he or she has already changed name and gender identity in primary school. These deficits need to be addressed if the program is to continue.

The trends towards post‐inclusion: Another post‐truth or an emerging reality?

Some may consider it to be an over-reach, but if we are now living in a post-truth world, as has been so often suggested in 2016 – indeed, ‘post truth’ is the Oxford Dictionaries’ word of 2016 - it is hard to believe that we got to this point given all the warning signs. All humans have core needs for belonging. Although it is acknowledged that across the globe, and throughout history, we have tended to feel more secure around people ‘like us’, there are increasing signs that as a general public we feel more confident to exclude (or not include) ‘others’ in our society. Shifts in government policy and the dominant discourse surrounding asylum seekers and people of Muslim faith are perhaps the clearest examples or recent warning signs of such ‘othering’. Less obvious developments include the public outrage and subsequent withdrawal of the ‘Safe Schools Program’ – a program designed to promote the inclusion and safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and inter-sex students in Australia, and the findings of the recent (Australian) Senate Inquiry into the inclusion and educational outcomes of students with disabilities. It is therefore argued that greater consciousness-raising, advocacy, and action is required if we are to redress this emerging trend, and ultimately, avoid finding ourselves in an era of ‘post-inclusion’.

The Safe Schools Program and Young People’s Sexed and Gendered Geographies

ABSTRACTThis essay examines the recent controversy surrounding ‘Safe Schools', a federally-funded education program designed to reduce anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) bullying in Australian schools. Although LGBTI students are known to experience homophobic, biphobic and transphobic verbal and physical abuse at school, opponents of Safe Schools have argued that the Program is both unnecessary and potentially harmful. In the essay, we argue that geographers have valuable contributions to make to this debate, particularly by revealing the ways in which sexuality and gender shape young people's experiences of school spaces.

The Controversy over the Safe Schools Program Finding the Sensible Centre

The Safe Schools program in Australia has attracted great controversy. On one end of the spectrum it is defended as an anti-bullying program. On the other end of the spectrum it is regarded as social engineering.It is important to have programs in schools that offer support for same-sex attracted youth, or those experiencing confusion about their gender identity, particularly those who do not have support at home. However, this particular program has some serious flaws.This paper seeks to draw attention to various problems in the Safe Schools materials which ought to be rectified if a program like this is to continue to be offered in schools. First, the materials present statistics on same-sex attraction and transgender prevalence that have no valid scientific basis. Secondly, they present sexual orientation as fixed when for school-aged adolescents it is very volatile, and many same-sex attractions are transitory. Thirdly, they present gender as fluid when for about 99.5% of the population, there is complete congruence between sexual characteristics and gender identity. Fourthly, they promote gender transitioning without the need for any medical and psychological guidance and even without parental knowledge or consent. Finally, they offer potentially misleading legal advice to teachers.While a program of this kind may offer benefits for some young people, there is reason to be concerned that it may cause harm to other young people who experience same-sex attraction or gender confusion. There is certainly a place for an anti-bullying program that addresses the issues with which the Safe Schools program is concerned, but this program needs to be rescued from its progenitors.

Comparing Efficacy of Online and In-Person Versions of a Training on U.S. Federal Wage and Hour, Child Labor Laws, and Hazardous Occupations Orders for Secondary School Professionals.

The New Jersey Safe Schools Program (NJSS) offers courses required for secondary school vocational-career-technical education teachers to become school-sponsored structured learning experience supervisors. The "Federal Wage and Hour and Child Labor Laws, Regulations and Hazardous Order Course" (FWH) was originally conducted in-person by U.S. Department of Labor-Wage and Hour Division from 2005 to Summer 2013, and then NJSS began conducting this course in-person (October 2013-April 2015). Staring in March 2015, this course was conducted online; beta-/pilot tests were conducted in Winter 2014-2015. Starting in May 2015, this course was offered exclusively online. This paper analyzes data from the in-person and online versions of the FWH, including overall course evaluation data comparing two versions with similar questions/constructs. The New Jersey Safe Schools Program modifications to FWH included adding information regarding the Fair Labor Standards Act's Section 14(c) and supplemental case studies. The online version included information/resources provided during the in-person training plus assessments to supplement each module; the online version was split into modules to allow participants scheduling flexibility. Participants were given multiple possible attempts to achieve a minimum passing grade of 70%, excluding two ungraded activities (crossword puzzles simply completed). Descriptive statistics evaluated user satisfaction online compared to the in-person version of FWH and performance on aforementioned online assessments replacing in-person discussions/interactions. Between October 2013 and April 2015, 160 participants completed the training in person; 156 had complete data. Between April and November 2015, 78 participants completed the training online; 74 participants had complete data. Other enrolled participants were in progress (not done as of 12/23/2015). Overall satisfaction was similarly high for in-person and online versions of FWH; over 95% of responding participants recommended this course to colleagues. Course evaluations for in-person participants indicated 83% felt the course objectives were completely met, whereas 95% of the responding online cohort felt course objectives were completely met. Further analyses examined performance of online assessments regarding number of attempts and scores achieved and performance on highlighted questions in certain module lessons. Data suggested the online format as a viable alternative to an in-person version of this training and provided NJSS and agency partners with ideas on how modifications/improvements can be made.

SCALE-UP OF SAFE & CIVIL SCHOOLS’ MODEL FOR SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS

This study evaluated the scale-up of a Safe & Civil Schools Foundations: Establishing Positive Discipline Policies positive behavioral interventions and supports initiative through 4 years of “real-world” implementation in a large urban school district. The study extends results from a previous randomized controlled trial that established the effectiveness of the Safe & Civil Schools program in 32 elementary schools in the same district. This study emphasizes the application and evaluation of the program in regular district schools. Four-year results indicate that elementary, middle, and high schools experienced moderate but steady improvements in (a) school discipline, (b) student safety policy and training, (c) staff perceptions of student behavior, and (d) student suspension and chronic tardiness rates. With few exceptions, improvements occurred after schools began Safe & Civil Schools Foundations training, and more years of training were associated with larger cumulative improvements in school and student outcomes. Given that similar effects were observed in schools with and without random assignment of training, and only after training began, we concluded that the improvements stem from Safe & Civil School's Foundations training.

Injury surveillance and associations with socioeconomic status indicators among youth/young workers in New Jersey secondary schools.

BackgroundInjuries involving career-technical-vocational education (CTE) are reported to the New Jersey Safe Schools Program online reporting system, the only U.S. State law-based surveillance data for young workers (ages twenty-one and younger), a susceptible, vulnerable adolescent sub-population.MethodsWe examined potential associations between socioeconomic status (SES) indicators and high school student injuries reported between 12/1998-12/2013, excluding injuries acquired by staff members. Associations between DFG score—a proxy for school/district SES—and variables relating to reported injuries, including severity, injury type, injury cause, body parts injured, injury treatment setting and demographics were examined with chi square test (X2) for independence and logistic regression. To assess potential associations between SES and personal protective equipment (PPE), data were stratified by 2003–2008 and 2008–2013, given mandated payment by employers of PPE for employees.ResultsStatistically significant associations were found between SES and injury cause [X2 = (7, 14.74), p = 0.04] and SES and injury treatment setting [X2 = (1, 4.76), p = 0.03]. Adjusted odds ratio suggested students from low SES schools were at a higher odds of being treated at a hospital emergency department (ED) than students from high SES schools (95 % CI 1.3–4.3, p < 0.01).ConclusionsThese findings indicated low SES schools/districts have increased odds of being treated at ED, after controlling for injury severity. Future research should focus on implications such associations have on health care access and insurance for young workers and their families. With small sample sizes representing lower DFG scoring (SES) schools/districts, additional efforts should be enacted to increase injury reporting in these schools/districts.

Evaluation of a secondary school cosmetology safety and health training's effectiveness after implementation of a hierarchy of controls “pyramid game” using the “salon safety quiz”

In 2012–2013 school year (SY), New Jersey Safe Schools (NJSS) Program developed a 25 question Salon Safety Quiz (SSQ) to assess baseline safety and health (S&H) knowledge of young cosmetology students. The SSQ was used as a teaching pre-/post- assessment tool to evaluate relatively immediate gains of S&H knowledge, awareness and attitudes (KAAs) in the Young Worker Safety and Health Training for the Cosmetology Industry at various NJ career-technical-vocational school districts and comprehensive high schools during three (2012–2015) SYs. NJSS added a Pyramid Game to supplement training starting in SY 2013–2014 to reinforce various hazard control methods and potentially increase post-test scores and overall KAAs. Pre- and post- aggregate test data were analyzed to compare grade-levels within SYs 2013–2015 combined, as well as post- aggregate test data comparing SY 2012–2013 to SYs 2013–2015, to determine if implementing the Pyramid Game had an effect on post- scores. There were statistically significant differences in pre- and post- scores across grade levels combined during SYs 2013–2015, including a significant difference in 11th and 12th grader pre- and post- scores (p