​Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD)

Article XIII-B (School Safety and Security) of the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949 created the School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) within PCCD. The SSSC was tasked with developing the criteria school entities are to use in performing school safety and security assessments, issuing a survey to school entities to measure school safety and security preparedness, and administering grants. Recent amendments by Act 18 of 2019, Act 67 of 2019, and Act 30 of 2020 included the development of a model trauma-informed approach plan; model trainings for threat assessment teams; set training requirements for school resource officers (SROs), school police officers (SPOs) and school security guards; and created a grant program for school entities to address COVID-19.

Training Resources

Threat Assessment Training at no cost to school entities

Threat Assessment: Act 18 of 2019 amended the Public School Code of 1949 by adding Article XIII-E, Threat Assessment. Among its provisions, Article XIII-E requires the establishment of threat assessment teams for all school entities in Pennsylvania and tasks the School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) to research, develop and provide free threat assessment guidelines, training and informational materials, as well as model procedures and guidelines for school entities.

Act 18 Resources

In accordance with Act 18 of 2019, the SSSC has approved the following resources and documents of school entities and others to use to implement requirements under Article XIII-E of the PA Public School Code:

• Model K-12 Threat Assessment Procedures and Guidelines (PDF), to support school entities in developing their own policies and threat assessment teams in compliance with the expectations delineated in Act 18.
• Guidance on Communication and Information on Confidentiality (PDF), in a Q&A format, to assist schools in ensuring open communication with other school-based intervention teams (particularly Student Assistance Program (SAP) and Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams) and maintaining appropriate confidentiality in accordance with state and federal law.
• Information for School Staff, Parents, and Guardians (PowerPoint), school entities can adapt to include local connections and utilize as part of an interactive presentation.
• Students Preventing Violence in School (PowerPoint), provides information tailored to students, that students can access directly, teachers can use in the classroom, or school entities can otherwise adapt and incorporate into an interactive or multimedia presentation.
• PCCD Threat Assessment Case Management Form (Word) to provide school entity Threat Assessment Teams with a framework for documenting threat assessment cases based on good practice and aligned with the PCCD Model K-12 Threat Assessment Procedures and Guidelines. Also available: PCCD Threat Assessment Case Management Form (PDF).

Additional Resources

Webinar - PA K-12 Threa​​t Assessment: Documentation Overview & Resources for Teams (September 16, 2021)

• Presentation Slides: PA K-12 Threat Assessment Documentation ​Overview (PDF)
  

Webinar - PA K-12 Threat Assessment Teams: Implementation Resources f​​​or School Entities (June 15, 2021)

• Presentation Slides: PA K-12 Threat Assessment Implementation Resources Webinar (PDF)
  

Contact

If you have any questions or comments regarding the threat assessment team materials above or the K-12 Threat Assessment and Technical Assistance Network and related resources, please email RA-CD-SSSC@pa.gov.