K-12 Threat Assessment Training
PCCD's online and in-person trainings utilize the same K-12 Threat Assessment Training curriculum, developed pursuant to criteria established in Article XIII-E (Threat Assessment) of the PA Public School Code in consultation with nationally recognized subject matter experts, as well as Pennsylvania school administrators and personnel. The training curriculum covers topics including:
- The principles of threat assessment;
- Responsibilities and composition of Threat Assessment Teams;
- Conducting threat assessments (process overview);
- Identifying and reporting threats;
- Gathering information;
- Assessing the situation;
- Managing threats; and
- Additional resources for Pennsylvania school entities.
Threat Assessment Visual
Flowchart of the Threat Assesment Process
Information & Resources for PA Schools
- Article XIII-E (Threat Assessment)
- Pennsylvania K-12 Threat Assessment Technical Assistance and Training Network
- Video Module: "Introduction to School-based Threat Assessment in PA"
- PCCD Webinar - "Act 55 of 2022: Threat Assessment & Safe2Say" - Recording | Slides
- Threat Assessment Publications & Forms
- PCCD Threat Assessment Model Procedures & Guidelines (3rd Edition, 2024) - support for school entities in developing their own policies and threat assessment teams in compliance with the expectations delineated in Act 18 of 2019 and Act 55 of 2022.
- Guidance on Communication and Information on Confidentiality, in a Q&A format, to assist schools in ensuring open communication with other school-based intervention teams (particularly Student Assistance Program (SAP) and Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams) and maintaining appropriate confidentiality in accordance with state and federal law.
- Information for School Staff, Parents, and Guardians, in a PowerPoint format, that school entities can adapt to include local connections and utilize as part of an interactive presentation.
- Students Preventing Violence in School - information tailored to students that students can access directly, teachers can use in the classroom, or school entities can otherwise adapt and incorporate into an interactive or multimedia presentation.
- PCCD Threat Assessment Case Management Form (and editable Word version), to provide school entity Threat Assessment Teams with a framework for documenting threat assessment cases based on good practice and aligned with the PCCD Model K-12 Threat Assessment Procedures and Guidelines.
Pennsylvania Links/Resources:
- Guidance Note: PA Threat Assessment Teams: Threat Assessment & Suicide Risk Policy and Practices in Pennsylvania (June 2023)
- PCCD Webinar - PA K-12 Threat Assessment: Documentation Overview & Resources for Teams (Sept. 16, 2021) - Recording | Slides
- PCCD Webinar - PA K-12 Threat Assessment Teams: Implementation Resources for School Entities (Jun. 15, 2021) - Recording | Slides
- PA Department of Education, Office for Safe Schools - Includes information about available funding/grants, mental health, school climate, and other resources/toolkits for Pennsylvania school entities.
- PA Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) School and Child Care Safety - Includes links to All-Hazards School Planning Resources and other tools, guidance, and training opportunities.
Other Links/Resources:
- SchoolSafety.gov - Federal clearinghouse containing information and resources for K-12 schools, including those focused on 'Threat Assessment and Reporting.
- Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center - National clearinghouse developed by the U.S. Department of Education for school safety information, including training, resources, and information related to emergency preparedness, crisis response, violence prevention, response and recovery.
- National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) - Established as part of the U.S. Secret Service to provide research and guidance to empower partners in law enforcement, schools, government, and other public and private sector organizations to prevent threats and targeted violence.
- Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools (2021)
- Protecting America's Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence (2019)
- Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model: An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence (2018)
- Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attacks - The U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Behavioral Analysis Unit published this report/guide on assessing and managing the threat of targeted violence.