School Violence Threat Assessment: Professional Development Training for K-12 Educators

Author

Christopher J. PotterFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2020

Document Type

Project (696 or 796 registration)

Degree Name

Master of Science in Counseling

Department

Graduate Studies

Committee Chair

Taryn Akgul

Keywords

School Violence, Threat Assessment. K-12

Abstract

While threats of violence are relatively common in U.S. K-12 schools, the likelihood of a threat being carried out is very low. School leaders must take all threats of school violence seriously but must also have evidence-informed means to discern less-serious, transient threats from more serious, substantive ones. School violence threat assessment training is a vital professional development tool, to ensure safer schools while avoiding unnecessary labeling of students or overly harsh consequences through disciplinary over-reaction. This manual supplements an abbreviated professional development training presentation on school violence threat assessment based on research and models developed by Dr. Dewey Cornell, University of Virginia. It’s intended audience is K-12 school administrators, school and community based mental health professionals, teachers, case managers, social workers, law enforcement personnel, ancillary school staff, and school board members, among others. This is not intended to be a replacement for Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines training, but rather an abbreviated overview of best practices in K-12 school violence threat assessment. All the necessary components to effectively deliver this training are here, to include instructor preparation, training overview and objectives, pre- and post-assessments, instructional notes, training and instructor evaluation, supplemental forms and worksheets, and literary references. With adequate preparation and content review, any professional instructor will be able to deliver this training effectively and efficiently. A slide presentation template is available from this manual’s author upon request. School violence threat assessment is a dynamic and growing field of practice that will inevitably adapt to new challenges and trends. It is vital that this training module be reviewed and updated at least annually.

Recommended Citation

Potter, Christopher J., "School Violence Threat Assessment: Professional Development Training for K-12 Educators" (2020). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 381.
https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/381