Safety is a critical topic for school administration and law enforcement as students return to campus for the fall semester. In addition to mass casualty violence, it is also essential to prepare for extreme events such as weather disasters and chemical hazard spills.

Experts recommend a multidisciplinary approach to school safety planning that involves school personnel (including both teachers and support staff such as janitors and school bus drivers), law enforcement and first responders, community-based resources, and families—as well as students in the school. Student perspective is unique in school safety, and as partners in the process, students will have increased ownership of the solutions, as well as improved trust and stronger communication with school officials.

The COPS Office, in coordination with other DOJ components and federal agencies, provides resources, training, and technical assistance to support the essential steps of planning, preparation, and ongoing assessment necessary for safe and secure schools. A representative sample of resources is included here, but officials are encouraged to search federal clearinghouse sites for training, technical assistance, and knowledge products. In addition, please feel free to contact the COPS Office for assistance via the COPS Office Response Center.

• Department of Education Student Privacy Guidance – Student Privacy guidance on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) School Safety and Security – Resources and tools related to school safety and security, including school site assessments
• FBI Violence Prevention in Schools Publication
• National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) – Resources, training and information-sharing on threat assessments to public safety.
• Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Center (REMS TA Center) – Technical assistance hub that provides resources, training, and services for emergency planning.
• SchoolSafetyinfo.org – Prepare, Respond, Recover resources.
• Stop Bullying – Resources and online training to stop bullying, including cyberbullying.
• Supporting Safe Schools – Information and resources for school resource officers
• Youth.gov – Resources to promote positive healthy outcomes for children and teens. 

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