The St. Paul school board on Tuesday approved a new contract that more clearly defines the roles of police officers assigned to the district’s high schools.

Students and parents upset with the way school resource officers have done their jobs drove substantial changes to the contract.

“Because of that feedback, we have a better product,” chief engagement officer Jackie Turner said.

The police department agreed to additional training, more detailed data collection on use of force, monthly meetings with student advisory teams at each school, and new uniforms that distinguish officers from contract security staff.

The district, meanwhile, has promised to quit calling the police to help with school disciplinary matters.

“They are not there to be the disciplinarian for the school. That’s the administrator’s job and administrators need to own that. We shouldn’t call on the SRO to do our job,” Turner said.

Last May, the school resource officer at Central High School was criticized for his aggressive arrest of a former student suspected of trespassing during school hours. According to the district’s rights and responsibilities handbook, school officials are not to involve the police for such a minor crime.

The money terms are similar to past contracts.

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St. Paul district to pay student $48,000 for teacher’s ‘achievement gap’ remarks The district will pay $884,500 this year to post seven officers at the high schools plus two more roving officers. The police department will pay $100,000 plus the cost of a supervisor and equipment.

More than a decade ago, the city covered a much larger share of the costs. Board member John Brodrick called it “a pretty good contract, except for the money part.”

Board member Steve Marchese said he likes the changes to the contract, but he’s still unsure whether a constant police presence is a good thing for the city’s schools.

“This is a very expensive contract for the district,” he said. “We really need to think about how it is accomplishing the district’s goals.”

The board voted 5-0 to approve the contract, with Zuki Ellis abstaining.