The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released a threat response guide for K-12 schools. This resource is intended to assist K-12 schools in establishing tailored approaches to threat management, including violence and threats of violence.
In this guide, the CISA outlines what steps school districts can take to understand and respond to anonymous threats. It also provides advice for staying prepared for future incidents and coordination with law enforcement or other local partners.
This guide establishes six strategies for schools:
- Promote reporting awareness so potential incidents can be detected and future threats can be deterred.
- Establish a partnership system (such as school administrators, law enforcement and mental health experts) to help address threats.
- Utilize law enforcement connections to manage threat events and to determine when response actions should be scaled up or down.
- Treat all threats as credible.
- Engage with multidisciplinary threat assessment teams when necessary.
- Determine a threat response protocol and engage staff and students in emergency response activities.
