At Charlottesville City Schools, we use an evidenced-based system to evaluate threats to school safety called threat assessments. Threat Assessment Teams are required at all Virginia schools and are used nationwide. This FBI-developed practice helps schools understand and investigate a threat. The majority of threats to others are not a genuine expression of intent to harm. And most threats are “threats to self,” which we also take seriously.

Developed by Dr. Dewey Cornell and others at the Curry School of Education at U.Va., the Virginia Student Threat Assessment Guidelines are used by schools across the country. The training equips school staff to evaluate threats of violence made by students, whether towards self or others.

Each Charlottesville school has a threat assessment team that can draw upon the resources of school administrators, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and others.

Using the guidelines of the program, the team reviews the specific situation and evaluates the remarks as transient (quickly resolved) or substantive (indicating serious intent to harm). In either case, action is taken and families are notified.

• Overview from the National Association of School Psychologists
• Information and PBS NewsHour clip from the Curry School of Education at U.Va.