Resources
ADULT SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
Training Guide for Administrators and Educators on Addressing Adult Sexual Misconduct in the School Setting
A Training Guide for Administrators and Educators on Addressing Adult Sexual Misconduct in the School Setting is the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center’s NEW training guide designed to help schools and school districts understand adult sexual misconduct (ASM), develop related policies and procedures, train on ASM awareness and prevention, and recognize the role of social media and technology in ASM. This training guide, which is available free of charge and based on the most recent research and trends on ASM, supports education agencies in updating their emergency operations plans (EOPs) and/or related ASM policies and procedures to be in alignment with national, state, and local recommendations, including the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans.
ACTIVE AGGRESSOR/THREAT SITUATIONS
Active Shooter Preparedness
Active shooter incidents are often unpredictable and evolve quickly. In the midst of the chaos, anyone can play an integral role in mitigating the impacts of an active shooter incident. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aims to enhance preparedness through a “whole community” approach by providing products, tools, and resources to help you prepare for and respond to an active shooter incident.
CRASE Training Available for Arkansas Schools
Built on the Avoid, Deny, Defend strategy, the CRASE training provides strategies, guidance and a plan for surviving an active shooter event. The training features reality-based scenarios that allow school personnel to directly participate in drills. Having the opportunity to practice a variety of active shooter events on their home campus will give educators the opportunity to identify potential problem areas while also feeling better prepared should an active shooter event ever occur. This training is FREE to any requesting school/school district in the State. The training takes approximately four hours to complete.
DHS Active Shooter Attacks
While law enforcement is usually required to end an active shooter situation, individuals can take steps to prepare mentally and physically for the possibility of this type of event occurring in order to save lives.
DHS Chemical Attacks
A chemical attack may be executed by individuals or groups — terrorists, terrorist affiliates, or state-sponsored, and/or organized crime — through the deliberate release of a toxic substances, such as a gas, liquid, or solid, in an attempt to cause public harm, injury, or loss of life. A wide variety of common household and professional grade toxic chemicals can be made, stolen, or acquired for use in an attack, including nerve agents, blister agents, blood agents, choking agents, and irritants. This guide assists you in identifying an attack and properly responding.
DHS Mass Gatherings
A mass gathering occurs when a large number of people come together in a particular location for a specific purpose. These locations, especially those associated with large crowds, could be an attractive target for terrorism and other crimes. DHS Protective Security Advisors (PSAs) encourage businesses to “Connect, PIan, Train, and Report”. Applying these four steps in advance of an incident or attack can help better prepare businesses and their employees to proactively think about the role they play in the safety and security of their businesses and communities.
DHS Mass Gatherings: Take Charge of Your Personal Safety
Take notice of your surroundings and identify potential emergency exit routes. Be aware of unusual behaviors, unattended objects, unexplained odors, or vehicles traveling at abnormal speeds or patterns. Establish locations to meet if separated from your group. Report any suspicious items or activities to law enforcement and/or onsite security personnel.
DHS Vehicle Ramming
The use of a vehicle as a weapon in a terrorist attack is not new. Recent terrorist incidents and violent extremist propaganda demonstrate that the use of vehicles as a weapon continues to be of interest by those wishing to cause harm. Attacks of this nature require minimal capability, but can have a devastating impact in crowded places with low levels of visible security.
Exploring the Potential “Parkland Effect” on Students’ Sense of School Safety
Although school mass shootings are statistically rare, when they occur they generally receive substantial media coverage, and increasingly, intense social media exposure. When students are indirectly exposed to such violent events, what effect does it have on their feelings of safety and on their perceptions of risk of violent victimization at school?
Study of the Pre-Attack Behaviors of Active Shooters in the United States Between 2000 and 2013
This report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, covering active shooter incidents in the United States between 2000 and 2013, examines specific behaviors that may precede an attack and that might be useful in identifying, assessing, and managing those who may be on a pathway to violence.
Targeted Violence Prevention Resources for K-12 Schools
Addressing targeted violence requires a community-based, comprehensive, and holistic approach, and many members of the school community can play a role. Learn more about this school safety issue – as well as strategies and resources that can help prevent, protect against, and mitigate targeted violence incidents – in SchoolSafety.gov’s latest infographic.
The Violence Project
The Violence Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center dedicated to reducing violence in society and using data and analysis to improve policy and practice. Their research on mass shootings, funded by the National Institute of Justice, has received global media attention. Areas of expertise include gun violence, violent extremism, cyber violence, trauma and mental illness, street gangs and youth violence.
Why Lockdown Drills Are So Important
This resource from Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) illustrates why lockdown drills are so important and features questions you should ask about your school’s lockdown drill procedures.
BOMB THREATS
DHS Bomb Threat Guidance 12-2016
This guide provides resources and outlines in-depth procedures for either bomb threats or suspicious items and will help you prepare and react appropriately during these events.
Improvised Explosive Device Awareness Training
The Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) leads the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to implement the National Policy for Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (National Counter-IED policy) and enhance the nation’s ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and mitigate the use of explosives against critical infrastructure; the private sector; and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities.
BULLYING & CYBERBULLYING
American Psychological Association
Bullying resources from the American Psychological Association
Anti-bullying and Violence Prevention
In accordance with A.C.A. § 6-18-514, all public school students have the right to receive their education in an environment that is reasonably free from substantial intimidation, harassment, or harm or threat of harm by another student, in person or by electronic means. The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) provides guidance and resources on bullying prevention, as required by Act 1029 in consultation with state agencies, school personnel, advocacy organizations, and other interested parties to support public school districts and public charter schools in addressing the issue of school bullying.
Arkansas Department of Education Guidance on Bullying Prevention
he Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education developed this guidance on bullying prevention, as required by Act 1029 of 2019, in consultation with state agencies, school personnel, advocacy organizations, and other interested parties, to support public school districts and public charter schools (hereafter referred to as “school districts”) in addressing the issue of school bullying. With the knowledge that bullying can be stopped with careful and sensitive interventions, this guidance is designed to be used by parents and legal guardians, students, and school districts/charter schools, in preventing, reporting, investigating, and responding to bullying behaviors.
Coaching Teachers to Detect, Prevent, and Respond to Bullying Using Mixed Reality Simulation: an Efficacy Study in Middle Schools
The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of an adapted version of the Classroom Check-Up (CCU) coaching model, which utilized mixed reality simulation to allow teachers to practice addressing the detection of, prevention of, and responding to bullying in the classroom.
Cyberbullying & Harassment Online: Awareness & Prevention
Whether you’re just starting out online or you’re a seasoned digital learner, cyberbullying can impact any student at any time. Learn to understand the basics, gain expert insight on handling yourself in cyber harassment situations, and take away tips for staying safe online.
National Crime Prevention Council
The National Crime Prevention Council features a variety of bullying resources on their website, including publications, program models and downloadable resources.
Net Cetera: Stand Up to Cyberbullying
This video shows kids how they can stop cyberbullying by standing up for themselves or someone else.
Resources for Teachers
The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) provides a variety of anti-bullying resources specifically for teachers.
Stop Bullying Website
StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on how kids, teens, young adults, parents, educators and others in the community can prevent or stop bullying.
Teacher’s Essential Guide To Cyberbullying Prevention
What is cyberbullying? How common is it? And what can teachers do about it? Get advice and resources from Common Sense Education to support your students.
US-CERT Security Tip: Dealing with Cyberbullies
Bullies are taking advantage of technology to intimidate and harass their victims. Dealing with cyberbullying can be difficult, but there are steps you can take.
US-CERT Security Tip: Keeping Children Safe Online
Children present unique security risks when they use a computer—not only do you have to keep them safe, you have to protect the data on your computer. By taking some simple steps, you can dramatically reduce the threats.
COMMITTEES/ORGANIZATIONS
I Love U Guys Foundation
The “I Love U Guys” Foundation was created to restore and protect the joy of youth through educational programs and positive actions in collaboration with families, schools, communities, organizations and government entities. After extensive research, The “I Love U Guys” Foundation developed the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), a classroom response to any critical incident. If you are a school, district, department, agency, or organization, all downloadable materials on this site are available at no charge.
National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO)
The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) offers several resources and best practices designed to assist SROs.
National Institute of Justice: School Crime and Safety
The National Institute of Justice’s School Crime and Safety website contains links to a variety of resources and publications designed to assist schools in their safety efforts. Summaries of school safety statistics are available along with school safety grant announcements.
National School Safety Center
The National School Safety Center serves as an advocate for safe, secure and peaceful schools worldwide and as a catalyst for the prevention of school crime and violence. NSSC provides school communities and their school safety partners with quality information, resources, consultation, and training services.
Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS)
REMS supports schools, school districts, and institutions of higher education (IHEs in the development of high-quality emergency operations plans (EOPs) and comprehensive emergency management planning efforts. Established in October 2004 and administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Safe and Healthy Students (OSHS), the REMS Technical Assistance Center provides a hub of information, resources, training, and services in the field of school and higher ed emergency operations planning.
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.
School Safety Advocacy Council
The School Safety Advocacy Council (SSAC) offers school safety-based services and training. The School Safety Advocacy Council is made up of some of the leading experts in the field of school and child safety.
SchoolSafety.Gov
This federal school safety clearinghouse website is a one-stop-shop of resources for Kindergarten through Grade 12 (K-12) administrators, educators, parents and law enforcement to use to prepare for and address various threats related to safety, security, and support in schools.
CYBER SAFETY
Back-To-School Cyber Safety
As summer break ends, many students will return to school with mobile devices, such as smart phones, tablets, and laptops. Although these devices can help students with their schoolwork and stay in touch with family and friends, there are risks associated with using them. However, there are simple steps that can help keep students stay safe while using their mobile devices and getting online.
Cyber Safety Quick Links for Protecting Youth: Empowering Students to Become Responsible Digital Citizens and Engage Online Safely
This handout gives families, students, and school safety teams key practical steps and quick links to Websites offering free cyber safety resources, tools, and training. Together, communities, led by school safety teams, can enhance their cyber safety knowledge and capabilities of the whole school community.
Cyber Safety Considerations For K-12 Schools And School Districts
Cyber threats can impact either the human (students, teachers, and staff) or the physical or virtual (e.g., information technology [IT] networks and systems) elements of schools and school districts. The following fact sheet focuses on addressing threats to people in the school community—also called cyber safety considerations.
NetSmartz
NetSmartz is the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s online safety education program. It provides age-appropriate videos and activities to help teach children be safer online with the goal of helping children to become more aware of potential online risks and empowering them to help prevent victimization by making safer choices on- and offline.
Be Internet Awesome
Created by Google to explore digital citizenship and online safety tools and resources for children.
STOP.THINK.CONNECT. STUDENT RESOURCES
National public awareness campaign on online safety that offers materials and resources to help children learn about safe cyber behavior.
STOP.THINK.CONNECT. PARENT AND EDUCATOR RESOURCES
National public awareness campaign on online safety that offers materials and resources to help parents discuss safe cyber behavior with children.
Technology Safety: Exploring technology in the context of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and violence against women
Developed by the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Safety Net Project, this website provides Information on signing up for accounts, passwords, privacy settings and policies, social media, friends and family, and safe Web browsing.
Incorporating Sextortion Prevention, Response, and Recovery into School EOPs
Webinar on incorporating sextortion prevention, response, and recovery into school EOPs. It is accompanied by a fact sheet on the same topic and Tips on Protecting Youth From Sextortion.
CyberTipline
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children maintains a free national tipline for people to report any threats. The CyberTipline can be contacted in the following ways: call 1-800-843-5678 or visit https://report.cybertip.org/.
CYBER SECURITY
Common Internet of Things Devices May Expose Consumers to Cyber Exploitation
Cyber actors actively search for and compromise vulnerable Internet of Things (IoT) devices, sometimes referred to as “smart” devices, for use as proxies or intermediaries for Internet requests to route malicious traffic for cyber-attacks and computer network exploitation. If you suspect your IoT device(s) may have been compromised, contact your local FBI office and/or file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC)
Five University centers from across the country, including the Criminal Justice Institute, have partnered to establish the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC). NCPC members share resources and collaborate to develop and deliver FREE web-based and instructor-led cybersecurity training opportunities for the whole community. Courses include 1.) Performance level: designed for technical personnel who have the responsibility of securing computer networks or responding to any type of cyber-based attack; 2.) Awareness level: everyone/the end users working within your agency/individuals within the community; and 3.) Management level: designed for managers who develop plans and manage/coordinate a response to a cyber-based attack.
Webinar: Integrating Cybersecurity With Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) for K-12 Schools
Learn the importance of cybersecurity and network protection at schools and school districts.
DRUG PREVENTION
D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Website
D.A.R.E. is a comprehensive K-12 education program taught in thousands of schools in America and 52 other countries. D.A.R.E. curricula address drugs, violence, bullying, internet safety, and other high risk circumstances that today are too often a part of students’ lives.
Get Smart About Drugs: A DEA Resource for Parents, Educators, & Caregivers
This comprehensive website from the Drug Enforcement Administration provides parents, educators, & caregivers information and news they can share with their kids about the dangers and consequences of drug use. Includes information about specific drugs in a searchable database, trends & statistics and ways to get involved.
Preparing for Opioid-Related Emergencies for K-12 Schools and Institutions of Higher Education
In October 2017, the President and acting U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary determined that a public health emergency exists nationwide. Opioids can help in the management of certain types of pain, but they pose serious health, financial, and social consequences when misused. This Opioids Fact Sheet from the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center contains more information about opioid misuse among adolescents and a variety of resources to assist in emergency operations plans and response.
Drugs of Abuse, A DEA Resource Guide
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has released the 2020 edition of Drugs of Abuse, A DEA Resource Guide, which is designed to be a reliable resource on the most commonly abused and misused drugs in the United States. Released on a periodic basis, Drugs of Abuse provides important science-based information about the harms and consequences of drug use, describing a drug’s effects on the body and mind, overdose potential, origin, legal status, and other key factors. In addition, the guide outlines U.S. drug regulation, including drug scheduling and chemical controls. The 2020 digital edition updates the 2017 Drugs of Abuse publication with the most current information on new and emerging trends in drug misuse and abuse, including fentanyl, marijuana and marijuana concentrates, vaping, and stimulant drugs.
Because education plays a critical role in preventing substance abuse, this comprehensive guide is intended as a tool not just for medical practitioners and law enforcement officials, but also for educators, families, and communities.
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Website
D.A.R.E. is a comprehensive K-12 education program taught in thousands of schools in America and 52 other countries. D.A.R.E. curricula address drugs, violence, bullying, internet safety, and other high risk circumstances that today are too often a part of students’ lives.
G.R.E.A.T (Gang Resistance Education and Training) Website
Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) is an evidence-based and effective gang and violence prevention program built around school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curricula. The Program is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership for children in the years immediately before the prime ages for introduction into gangs and delinquent behavior.
Toward Zero Deaths
The Department of Public Safety, Arkansas State Police, Highway Safety Office, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department and the Arkansas Department of Health are working with other partners across the state through the Toward Zero Deaths program to eliminate traffic fatalities. The Toward Zero Deaths website features many resources, both local and National, for education on driving safety.
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLANS (EOPS)
CSSRCCrisisResponseGuidelines3.22.2022
This resource from the Colorado School Safety Resource Center captures lessons learned from Colorado school tragedies in an effort to prepare others for the possibility of one of these events.
Emergency Exercises Package
Download this package to test your plans for an infectious disease outbreak and/or power outage via tabletop exercises, which were designed to last approximately 60 minutes each. This package contains a brief introduction to the exercises, a tabletop exercise scenario in a podcast form with accompanying script, links for more information on related topics, and instructions on how to complete the exercises. The target audience for these tabletop exercises includes anyone who may have a role or responsibility in developing protocols for, or responding to, an emergency at any level of K-12 education. This includes administrators, planning teams, response teams, or community partners, such as law enforcement, the fire department, or local emergency management agency.
Emergency Planning @ SchoolSafety.gov
Every district or school should develop and implement comprehensive school EOPs that describe the actions that students, teachers, and school staff should take before, during, and after emergency events, and everyone should have a common understanding of what will be expected of them. Any reduction of time between the beginning and end of an incident can save lives.
Emergency Management Virtual Toolkit
Use the tools and resources in this online toolkit to support efforts at your school or school district to build capacity in emergency management and preparedness: 1.) Develop a high-quality emergency operations plan; 2.) Engage youth and the school community; and 3.) Connect with other emergency management administrators across the Nation.
Guide For Developing High-Quality School Emergency Plans
This guide is identified as a “Best Practice” by the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center. Planning teams responsible for developing and revising school EOPs can use this document to guide their efforts. It is recommended that districts and individual schools compare existing plans and processes against the content and processes outlined in this guide.
I Love U Guys Foundation
The “I Love U Guys” Foundation was created to restore and protect the joy of youth through educational programs and positive actions in collaboration with families, schools, communities, organizations and government entities. After extensive research, The “I Love U Guys” Foundation developed the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), a classroom response to any critical incident. If you are a school, district, department, agency, or organization, all downloadable materials on this site are available at no charge.
Ten Questions for School Emergency Operations Plans
Recovery_From_Large-Scale_Crises-Guidelines_for_Crisis_Teams_and_Administrators
This resource was developed by a number of highly experienced school-based crisis responders with the intent of assisting administrators and crisis teams in crisis response and recovery efforts following a large-scale disaster or crisis.
NCSS-Returning-to-School-After-a-Crisis-A-Guide-to-Addressing-Traumatic-Events-at-School
This guide from the National School Safety Center is intended as a resource that teachers and other school personnel can use to help students cope with the aftermath of a school shooting or other traumatic events. The goals of this resource are to (1.) Identify best practices in discussing traumatic events with students (2.) Outline steps for having conversations about traumatic events with students and (3.) Describe strategies to manage stress and trauma responses. This guide contains information about spotting common warning signs of a mental health crisis or trauma, stress management techniques, and strategies for supporting students following a crisis.
The Role of Districts in Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans
When our nation’s 55 million K–12 students head to class each day, they should find safe havens for learning, free from threats and hazards. Indeed, a safe and healthy environment is vital to student learning, and necessary for maintaining public trust in our educational system.
School EOPs In-Depth: Planning for Infectious Diseases Online Course
Create a profile, and get started with this 30- to 45-minute virtual training on infectious disease planning. Designed to help you learn how to incorporate infectious disease planning into a school emergency operations plan (EOP), it allows you to take notes and download job aids, checklists, and reference guides as you navigate through informative course modules.
School_Violence_Prevention_Guidelines_for_Administrators_and_Crisis_Teams
School administrators and crisis team members can create safe, secure, and peaceful schools free from the destructive influence of violence in all of its forms. To do that, schools must implement purposeful, coordinated strategies to increase levels of safety and security and simultaneously promote student wellness and resilience. These efforts improve students’ readiness to learn and build positive school climates.
Use an EOP Interactive Tool
The REMS TA Center offers a suite of emergency management planning tools to K-12 schools and school districts, institutions of higher education (IHEs), state education agencies (SEAs), regional education agencies (REAs), and community partners to support them in a variety of planning activities. These EOP Interactive Tools were intended to be used by K-12 and higher ed practitioners with any level of experience in emergency management to develop emergency operations plans (EOPs), conduct site assessments, revise EOPs, enhance their capacity, engage in learning opportunities, and align their emergency planning practices with those at the national, state, and local levels.
GRANTS
Greenlights Grant Initiative (GGI)
The just keep livin Foundation’s Greenlights Grant Initiative (GGI) helps school districts nationwide apply for and receive federal school safety grants. The website features grants that are available along with a variety of resources for successfully applying for grant funding. School safety grant funding includes resources for mental health services, school security systems, and other common-sense measures to ensure our kids can learn in peace.
MENTAL HEALTH
Arkansas A.W.A.R.E
Arkansas AWARE is a project funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration RFA-SM-18-006 AWARE (Advancing Wellness And Resiliency in Education) State Education Agency Grant to support districts in efforts to provide mental health care awareness and trauma informed practices.
How to Talk About Mental Health: For Educators
Educators are often the first to notice mental health problems in children and young adults. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides ways you can help your students and their families, including What Educators Should Know, What Educators Should Look for in Student Behavior, What Educators Can Do in Classrooms and Schools, and Developing Effective School Mental Health Programs.
School-Based Mental Health (SBMH)
The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) office of School Health Services provides guidance and technical assistant for the development of best practice school-based mental health programs within Arkansas public school districts.
Toolkit for Schools: Engaging Parents to Support Student Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being
This toolkit is designed to help education leaders and schools raise parent awareness about school connectedness and its role in supporting student mental health and emotional well-being, and why family engagement both in and out of school is important. It includes sample social media posts, social media graphics, and newsletter text.
REPORTS/PUBLICATIONS
NEW! Arkansas School Safety Commission: 2022 Final Report
On June 10, 2022, Governor Asa Hutchinson reconvened the Arkansas School Safety Commission. The Commission reviewed the Final Report of the 2018 Commission, provided an update on the status of school safety across Arkansas, updated the analysis of the safety of K-12 schools throughout the state, determined progress toward the findings of the previous report, and identified new recommendations of best practice. This report details the progress which has been made in implementing the 2018 School Safety Commission recommendations and presents new 2022 Commission recommendations.
Arkansas School Safety Commission: 2018 Final Report
On March 1, 2018, Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced that he issued an executive order that creates the Arkansas School Safety Commission. The Commission submitted their final report to Governor Asa Hutchinson at a press conference held December 3, 2018, at the State Capitol. Thirty recommendations on enhancing school safety were included in the comprehensive report.
A Comparison of Averted and Completed School Attacks from the Police Foundation Averted School Violence Database
The Police Foundation, in collaboration with the COPS Office, implemented the Averted School Violence (ASV) database to provide a platform for sharing information about averted incidents of violence in institutions of elementary, secondary, and higher education. As a companion to the preliminary report on the ASV database (Daniels 2018), this report compares 51 completed with 51 averted incidents of school violence from the ASV database and analyzes both sets. It includes findings on the demographics of individuals who plan attacks, victims’ demographics in completed attacks, and community characteristics; it also provides important recommendations to minimize school violence and improve student and school safety.
Indicators of School Crime and Safety
This report covers topics such as victimization, teacher injury, bullying and cyber-bullying, school conditions, fights, weapons, availability and student use of drugs and alcohol, student perceptions of personal safety at school, and criminal incidents at postsecondary institutions. Indicators of crime and safety are compared across different population subgroups and over time. Data on crimes that occur away from school are offered as a point of comparison where available.
NIJ Evaluation of School Policing Programs
In 2019, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) was directed to provide Congress with a report on the state of school policing in the United States that examined the current role of police in schools and provided recommendations on how they can better serve the needs of students. To address this directive, NIJ engaged two consultants to conduct a comprehensive literature review and examination of data sources, facilitate four days of expert panel discussions, and synthesize the results from these data collection efforts. This report is the result of those efforts.
Study of the Readiness of Public Schools in Response to Natural Disasters and Acts of Violence 2014 Report
This 2014 brief prepared by the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research provides an overview of the school safety preparedness measures that have been implemented throughout Arkansas, including Antibullying Policy Highlights and School Discipline Models.
Using Technology to Prevent Violence in Schools
School districts across the country employ technologies to prevent, respond to, and mitigate criminal acts of violence. These technologies are a piece of the ongoing national conversation on school safety, and we know little about their overall use and implementation. As part of the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, NIJ funded two complementary projects to help answer some basic questions: What technologies are currently in use and how those technologies are being used? What factors may affect the deployment of those technologies? What are the limits of those technologies and what improvements are needed? And ultimately, how much do we know about the effectiveness of those technologies in keeping schools safe?
SCHOOL SAFETY LAWS & REGULATIONS
Arkansas School Safety Laws & Rules
The Arkansas Department of Education website features laws and regulations pertaining to Emergency Plans and Drills, Firearms, Fire Safety, General Safety, Personal Health and Safety, Privacy and Security, and Student Discipline and Crime.
SEXTORTION
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program
These resource sheets from the ICAC Program provides individuals actionable help and online sites to work with youth who have been victims sextortion. The tips include responding to the perpetrator, securing digital accounts, notifying the CyberTipline and utilizing free and trusted resources. It also refers victims to tools from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, FBI, Thorn and ICAC Program.
Law Enforcement Guide for Sextortion Victims
This is a downloadable Law Enforcement guide to assist victims of sextortion. The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Sextortion Victim Resource contains information for how to react and respond to this situation, next steps to protect victim images or videos, and where to seek mental health assistance. A section has been left open, allowing law enforcement or others to add their local resources and their agency logo and contact information. This resource should be printed and shared with first responders, SRO’s, DARE Officers and others who may respond to calls for reports of Sextortion, so they may leave this document with the victim and their family. This resource can also be used for victims reporting Sexually based Sextortion, where the offender asks for more explicit images or sexual contact in order to stop them from sharing the victims’ images with others.
Sextortion Victim Resource
This is a downloadable resource document for victims of sextortion.
SEXUAL ASSAULT/SEX TRAFFICKING
Child Sex Trafficking: A Fact Sheet for Educational Professionals
Child sex trafficking (CST) is a severe form of child abuse and trauma that affects youth in many critically important ways. In particular, the impact of CST on development may interfere with learning and functioning in school. Professionals have a pivotal role to play in identifying youth who have been or are being trafficked, as well as vulnerable youth, and responding effectively to ensure their safety and support.
SITE ASSESSMENTS
SITE ASSESS: A Mobile App Designed To Support Your Site Assessment Efforts
This free, comprehensive tool allows school and school district personnel to walk around a school building and grounds and examine their safety, security, accessibility, and emergency preparedness. SITE ASSESS generates a customized to-do list that may be used in the short term and long term to address facility improvements, prompts teams to share pertinent information with first responders, and contains relevant resources on several education facility and safety topics.
SUICIDE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS
After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools
This second edition of After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools was written in 2018 by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), Education Development Center (EDC). This toolkit was created to assist schools in the aftermath of a suicide in the school community. This toolkit reflects consensus recommendations developed in consultation with national experts, including schoolbased administrators and staff, clinicians, researchers, and crisis response professionals. It provides guidance and tools for postvention, a term used to describe activities that help people cope with the emotional distress resulting from a suicide and prevent additional trauma that could lead to further suicidal behavior and deaths, especially among people who are vulnerable.
Preventing Suicide – A Toolkit for High Schools (From SAMHSA)
This toolkit from SAMHSA assists high schools and school districts in designing and implementing strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health. The toolkit includes tools to implement a multifaceted suicide prevention program that responds to the needs and cultures of students. Access the high school kit promotional flyer.
Preventing Youth Suicide – Tips for Parents & Educators (From National Association of School Psychologists)
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among school age youth. However, suicide is preventable. Youth who are contemplating suicide frequently give warning signs of their distress. Parents, teachers, and friends are in a key position to pick up on these signs and get help.
School Resources from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
AFSP raises awareness, funds scientific research and provides resources and aid to those affected by suicide. Their resources for schools include information about More Than Sad, a model policy on suicide prevention, and an interactive screening program.
Suicide Prevention Programs Promoted by and/or Implemented by Arkansas Department of Health
The Arkansas Department of Health, Suicide Prevention Program is working to provide educational programs that encourage people from all walks of life to become knowledgeable about suicide prevention. If you would like more information about any of these educational programs, such as how to schedule one in your area, please call 501-683-0707.
TALKING TO STUDENTS ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY
The following are helpful resources compiled by the Illinois Fusion Center to assist parents and educators talk with kids about school safety and threats in our schools:
Training Students to Report Threats
(One Page Document on Information Presented at the 2014 American Council for School Social Workers – by Youth Risk Prevention Specialist)
Talking to Kids About School Safety
(Mental Health America)
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
(National Association School Psychologists)
Responding to School Violence: Tips for Administrators
(National Association School Psychologists)
THREAT ASSESSMENTS
Behavior Threat Assessment for Schools Toolkit
The Arkansas Center for School Safety (the Center) has been awarded a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant to assist Arkansas school districts, both public and private, to develop effective behavioral threat assessment teams and processes. Threat assessment is a critical component of preventing school shootings and other targeted violence on campus. This toolkit includes guidance and resources for implementing a behavioral threat assessment team and introduces the concept of threat assessment in schools.
SCHOOL TIP LINE TOOLKIT: A Blueprint for Implementation and Sustainability
This Blueprint provides information for educators, law enforcement professionals, community leaders, and school safety experts who are exploring various approaches to promote school safety and student well-being. One such approach to prevent instances of violence, self-harm, and other disorders in the school system is an anonymous or confidential school safety tip line. A school safety tip line is a comprehensive communication system designed to provide students, school personnel, or other members of the public with a safe and anonymous or confidential way to report a threat or potential threat to student or school safety, thereby equipping authorities with the information needed to respond to threats and avert tragedy.
Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security – U.S. Secret Service released this operational guide through their National Threat Assessment Center in July 2018. The guide was developed to provide fundamental direction on how to prevent incidents of targeted school violence, that is, when a student specifically selects a school or a member of the school community for harm.
Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and To Creating Safe School Climates
Since June 1999, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Secret Service have been working as a team to try to better understand–and ultimately help prevent–school shootings in America. This document sets forth a process for identifying, assessing, and managing students who may pose a threat of targeted violence in schools.
TRAINING PACKAGES
Specialized Training Packages from the REMS TA Center
Are you seeking materials to support emergency management training at your school or school district? The REMS TA Center provides downloadable Specialized Training Packages that feature self-paced emergency management training materials to support high-quality emergency management across a range of special topics. School emergency managers may use these materials to train their colleagues or to brush up on their own knowledge regarding special topics in school emergency management. The topics included in these training packages range from continuity of operations and large event planning to handling food contamination and infectious diseases. Each package includes training instructions, a PowerPoint presentation, and supplemental resources. Tabletop exercises are also included with some packages. In addition to the special topics in emergency management, the REMS TA Center has also included an introductory presentation that provides an overview of the recommended six step planning process for developing school emergency operations plans (EOPs).