Governor signs bill allowing private schools to contract school resource officers

Last week, Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law SB4, allowing private schools in Alabama to make contracts with local law enforcement to hire school resource officers, SROs.

The legislation, introduced by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-District 32, allows private schools to contract SROs once “the services of a school resource officer are [made] available to every public school in the county or municipality where the contracted services would be provided.”

Under the law, private schools are responsible for covering the total cost of employing any SROs they contract with, and local law enforcement can freely decline or accept any such contracts at their own discretion.

The effectiveness of SROs at increasing school safety is debated, as highlighted in a 2024 article published by the Gun Policy in America Initiative.

“The presence of SROs may reduce some types of crime and increase the detection of weapons and drugs on campus. However, research has also shown that the presence of SROs inflicts costs on students,” the authors state. “Students at schools with SROs are more likely to face disciplinary action by school administrations and more law enforcement contact in general. Black and Latino students may be particularly affected. Thus, SROs may play a role in the criminalization of student behavior, particularly for students of color.

“Given the costs associated with SROs, it is worth asking whether alternatives are available that can reduce disruptive behavior in schools without the negative consequences associated with SROs. In addition, more research on the training and deployment of SROs could identify ways to maximize the potential benefits and minimize the potential costs,” the article concludes.

The signing of SB4 into law comes as President Trump and the national Republican party continue to emphasize the privatization of American education. Last week, Trump officially ordered the elimination of the Department of Education which supplies around 14 percent of public school budgets across the country. The DOE is also responsible for educational oversight, enforcing discrimination laws and distributing aid money for schools with low-income students and students with disabilities. 

In Alabama, the pivot toward private education has already been underway. The CHOOSE Act, which went into effect this year after becoming law in March 2024, effectively siphons money away from public education in the state to provide private school vouchers to wealthier Alabamians.

Although SB4 does not appear to directly prioritize private schooling over public education, it could be seen as another effort by Republicans to make private schools appear more appealing to Alabama families.