September is National Preparedness Month, and with preparation comes the topic of safety, especially with schools.

In an effort to help educators become better prepared for possible threatening situations, the United States Department of Homeland Security, Department of Education, Department of Justice, and the Department of Health and Human Services collaborated in 2020 to launch SchoolSafety.gov through the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse.

The website offers resources on several topics, including bullying, cybersecurity, emergency planning, infectious diseases, mental health, targeted violence, and threat assessment/reporting. Those within the education community can also access tools, such as school safety grant opportunities, action plans, links to state school safety programs, a school safety events calendar, and downloadable/sharable materials.

For example, on the website you can find Threat Assessment and Reporting blogs, reports, and articles on guidance and training programs from the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Education, and some third parties. The first featured link is a report from the Secret Service on the analysis of plots against schools.

Educators can also fill out the Safety Readiness Tool to produce an action plan, which includes a multiple-choice survey. The answers are not stored, but once completed, the website gives a personalized action plan and next steps.

Right now, SchoolSafety.gov is running a Back-to-School Campaign that encourages educators and members of the education community to visit SchoolSafety.gov and use its resources. The website encourages those who share materials to use the official campaign hashtag: #BacktoSchoolSafety. Among the items available for download is the Back-to-School Campaign Communications Toolkit, which provides background information about the website. Visitors will also find infographics, webinar recordings, and social media posts.

It is important educators be as prepared as possible for any outcome, and preparation can go a long way to avoid dangerous situations, whether targeted violence or a cybersecurity threat. Plus, teaching students and other community members ways they can prepare—should the need arise—can help save their lives and keep them safe as well.