Threat Assessment
Act 18 of 2019 amended the Public School Code of 1949 by adding Article XIII-E, Threat Assessment. Among its provisions, Article XIII-E requires the establishment of threat assessment teams for all school entities in Pennsylvania and tasks the School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) to research, develop and provide free threat assessment guidelines, training and informational materials, as well as model procedures and guidelines for school entities.
Pennsylvania K-12 Threat Assessment Technical Assistance and Training Network
In addition, Article XIII-E requires that the SSSC develop and offer free model training programs that comply with specified requirements. To that end, PCCD applied for and has been awarded a federal grant through the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Threat Assessment Grant Program. This three-year grant provides funding to support the design, launch, and implementation of the PA K-12 Threat Assessment Technical Assistance & Training Network. The Network officially launched on April 30, 2021 and provides comprehensive in-person and online training and technical assistance at no cost to help schools work through the questions and challenges of implementing threat assessment.
Learn more about PCCD's free online and in-person K-12 Threat Assessment Team trainings HERE.
Act 18 Resources for PA School Entities
In accordance with Act 18 of 2019, the SSSC has approved the following resources and documents of school entities and others to use to implement requirements under Article XIII-E of the PA Public School Code:
- Model K-12 Threat Assessment Procedures and Guidelines, to support school entities in developing their own policies and threat assessment teams in compliance with the expectations delineated in Act 18.
- 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, in a PowerPoint format, provides 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.
- (NEW) PCCD Threat Assessment Case Management Form, in an editable Word document version and as a PDF, 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 K-12 Threat Assessment Technical Assistance and Training Network, providing free, comprehensive online training modules for K-12 Threat Assessment Teams , regional in-person "train-the-trainer" events, and no-cost technical assistance supports for Pennsylvania school entities. (Note: More information about these resources is available in the "Threat Assessment Training for Pennsylvania School Entities" section below.)
Additional Resources
Additional information on the training programs and other resources developed through this initiative will be posted as they become available. Materials and resources on this page will be reviewed annually and revised/updated as needed.
- Webinar - "PA K-12 Threat Assessment: Documentation Overview & Resources for Teams" (September 16, 2021)
- Webinar - "PA K-12 Threat Assessment Teams: Implementation Resources for School Entities" (June 15, 2021)
Contact Information
If you have any questions or comments regarding the threat assessment team materials above or the K-12 Threat Assessment and Technical Assistance Network and related resources, please email RA-CD-SSSC@pa.gov.