Threat Assessment and Reporting

Identify and address safety concerns to reduce the threat of violence.

Identifying, reporting, and addressing safety concerns can help reduce the threat of targeted violence and enhance student safety. Schools can consider establishing a centralized reporting system that is continually monitored and allows for anonymous reporting to help students and other members of the school community provide information on concerns for wellness or safety. Creating a school climate characterized by support and inclusivity can also help enhance safety and foster an environment that is conducive in engaging and empowering students to report concerns.

Schools may also consider the use of well-trained and diverse multidisciplinary school threat assessment teams. These teams should include certified mental health professionals and the approach should include providing the supports and interventions students need when they need them.

Featured Resources

These resources are a starting point for learning more about threat assessment and reporting. Use these resources to help implement a threat assessment and reporting system.

Additionally, SchoolSafety.gov regularly publishes issue briefs that provide a high-level overview of a specific school safety topic as well as a sampling of aligned strategies, resources, programs, and tools. Download and explore threat assessment and reporting-related issue briefs below.

Guidance

School Threat Assessment Toolkit

Department of Justice, 2024

This toolkit is designed to aid schools in employing behavioral threat assessment and management as part of a comprehensive violence prevention strategy. The toolkit offers guidance on training, implementation, and assessment of school threat assessment teams. It aims to ensure fidelity to student rights while providing practical tools like documents, forms, videos, and additional resources to support schools’ efforts.

Guidance

Improving School Safety Through Bystander Reporting: A Toolkit for Strengthening K-12 Reporting Programs

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and Department of Homeland Security, 2023

This toolkit offers simple strategies and guidance K-12 schools and school districts can use to implement and enhance safety reporting programs and encourage bystander reporting among students and other members of the school community.

Guidance

Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools

Department of Homeland Security, March 2021

The following study examines 67 disrupted plots against K-12 schools and highlights the importance of proactive reporting and intervention.

Guidance

Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model

Department of Homeland Security, July 2018

This guide provides actionable steps that schools can take to develop comprehensive targeted violence prevention plans and create processes and procedures for conducting threat assessments.

Filter Resources

All Threat Assessment and Reporting Resources

Access additional resources below to learn more about threat assessment and reporting and related best practices. Use the filters to sort resources based on preparedness action.

Report

The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States - 2002

Department of Education, and Department of Homeland Security

This report provides an examination of 37 incidents of targeted school violence that occurred in the United States from December 1974 through May 2000. It further sets forth a process for identifying, assessing, and managing students who may pose a threat of targeted violence in schools.

Report

Mass Attacks in Public Spaces

Department of Homeland Security, July 2019

This report, the second in a yearly series, provides an analysis of mass attacks that occurred in public spaces in the United States between January and December 2018. These incidents included three mass attacks targeting high schools, including the attacks in Benton, KY; Parkland, FL; and Santa Fe, TX.

Report

Mass Attacks in Public Spaces

Department of Homeland Security, March 2018

This report, the first in a yearly series, provides an analysis of mass attacks that occurred in public spaces in the United States between January and December 2017.