A Quick Guide to Information Sharing During Threat Reporting & Assessment

When done correctly, information sharing is a crucial part of any school system and should be used to prevent incidents and protect students, staff, and the community. Information sharing is also a key component of behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM), and ensuring school safety. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), personally identifiable information from education records cannot be disclosed without written consent. However, FERPA includes exceptions that permit data sharing under certain conditions.

Learn when to release or withhold student information collected through reporting systems and threat assessment processes. Additionally, explore additional resources to help guide your information sharing practices. This guide is primarily intended for school personnel, SROs, school counselors, threat assessment teams, and mental health providers.