About This Series
School threat assessment helps school teams recognize and respond to concerning behavior before it escalates. The Illuminating Insights into the School Threat Assessment Toolkit video series brings together expert perspectives on how these practices show up in real K–12 settings, with each video focusing on a specific component such as collaboration, evaluation, or special education considerations. Whether you are using the School Threat Assessment Toolkit or exploring these concepts on your own, this series offers clear, practical guidance to support your work.
Introduction
This introductory video explains what to expect from the Illuminating Insights into the School Threat Assessment Toolkit series and how the videos connect to key components of school-based threat assessment. Featuring insights from Dr. Dewey Cornell and Dr. Jennifer Maeng of the University of Virginia, the discussion highlights the research behind threat assessment in K–12 schools and how it shaped the development of the School Threat Assessment Toolkit, helping to ground the series in practical, evidence-based approaches.
Law Enforcement’s Role in Threat Assessment
In this video, Joey Melvin, Executive Director of Delaware’s Comprehensive School Safety Program, discusses how strong communication with law enforcement partners supports effective threat assessment. He explains how teams can build relationships in advance and use tabletop exercises to improve coordination and preparedness.
To explore strategies for building partnerships and strengthening team coordination, see Section 1 and Section 2 of the School Threat Assessment Toolkit
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Supporting Special Education in Threat Assessment
In this video, Dr. Melissa Reeves of Safe and Sound Schools explores important considerations when conducting threat assessments involving students receiving special education services. She explains how applying threat assessment practices with fidelity helps teams balance student rights with school safety while ensuring decisions are appropriate, equitable, and consistent.
To learn more about balancing compliance with intervention, see Section 2 and Section 3 of the School Threat Assessment Toolkit.
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Evaluating Your Threat Assessment Program
In this video, Dr. Joseph McKenna from School Safety Solutions explains why ongoing evaluation is essential to maintaining an effective threat assessment process. He outlines how teams can use data to assess how well their approach is working, identify areas for improvement, and make informed adjustments over time.
For guidance on using data to assess implementation and improve team practices, see Section 2 and Section 3 of the School Threat Assessment Toolkit.
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