21 claims on pp. 4–110 (fact 7, statement 2, evidence 3, conclusion 4, conjecture 1, definition 4).
In this co-branded HSOAC-NTAC report, we take a comprehensive look at how K–12 schools are implementing and using behavioral threat assessment and management programs as part of their violence prevention efforts, using data from a survey administered to a nationally representative sample of 1,746 school leaders.
provide training on threat assessment and violence prevention; facilitate information-sharing among agencies with protective and public safety responsibilities; provide case consultation on threat assessment investigations and for agencies building threat assessment units; and develop programs to promote standardization of federal, state, and local threat assessment processes.
Why inferred The sentence crosses a page break: this quote is the page 5 part and the sentence begins on page 4 (claim p004-17). Full sentence (pages 4–5): “Through the Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000, Congress formally authorized NTAC to conduct research on threat assessment and various types of targeted violence; provide training on threat assessment and violence prevention; facilitate information-sharing among agencies with protective and public safety responsibilities; provide case consultation on threat assessment investigations and for agencies building threat assessment units; and develop programs to promote standardization of federal, state, and local threat assessment processes.”
School violence and threats remain a significant concern in K–12 education.
To enhance the safety of children in schools, behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) has become a widely adopted approach to preventing violence and other harmful outcomes by bringing together multidisciplinary teams to systematically evaluate and appropriately respond to concerning student behaviors or threats.
By appropriately assessing risk of harm and providing tailored interventions, BTAM helps schools manage safety risks while supporting student well-being and reducing reliance on suspensions or expulsions, which research shows can have lasting negative effects and may not effectively reduce the risk of school violence.
This pattern demonstrates that BTAM teams function as intended—as a preventative approach focused on early intervention and support rather than punishment that helps students address underlying issues while keeping them connected to school.
“A behavioral threat assessment is a proactive approach to identify, assess, and provide appropriate interventions and resources for students who display a behavior that elicits concern for the safety of themselves or others”
Incidents of school violence and threats—whether directed at students, staff, or the broader school community—remain a significant concern in K–12 education.
When a student’s behavior raises alarms about potential harm to themselves or others, school leaders face the complex task of determining an appropriate response.
Most threats are ultimately found not to be credible, and removing students from the school environment can sometimes increase the risk of harm by severing connections to support and oversight.
As a result, schools increasingly seek alternatives that balance safety with the well-being and rights of all students.
The BTAM approach aims to identify concerning behavior early, enabling schools to respond proportionately and provide support where needed.
This approach not only helps prevent violence but also reduces reliance on exclusionary discipline, promoting a safer school environment.
The initiative introduced BTAM as a violence prevention model for schools, emphasizing the importance of identifying students who display behavior that elicits safety concerns, assessing the behaviors and their context, and managing any potential risk of harm through interventions and supports.
the BTAM approach is designed to respond to a variety of behaviors of concern, not limited to explicit or direct threats.
cite page 38 Ch 4: What Is the Scope of Schools' BTAM Programs?
Early identification of these behaviors can make schools’ efforts to intervene and support students more effective.
cite page 38 Ch 4: What Is the Scope of Schools' BTAM Programs?
BTAM in K–12 schools is framed as an alternative to exclusionary school discipline, which has been recognized as risking long-term harms to students and causing other damage to a school’s community (Huang and Cornell, 2021; Cornell et al., 2018; Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports, 2023).
cite page 66 Ch 9: How Do BTAM Teams Develop Intervention Plans?
The interventions and supports assigned by BTAM teams in response to concerning behavior should be tailored to the specific needs of a student identified by a team as posing a risk of harm to self or others.
cite page 74 Ch 11: How Are Schools Using BTAM to Respond to Student Behavior?
BTAM is a proactive approach to identifying, assessing, and providing appropriate interventions and supports for students who display a behavior that elicits concerns about their own safety or the safety of others.
cite page 74 Ch 11: How Are Schools Using BTAM to Respond to Student Behavior?
This pattern demonstrates that BTAM teams function as intended—as a preventative approach focused on early intervention and support rather than punishment, helping students address underlying issues while keeping them connected to school.
This inconsistency in training may hinder the ability of BTAM teams to develop critical competencies, for instance related to assessing risk, mitigating biases, and appropriately matching interventions and supports to individual student needs—all of which are foundational to effective violence prevention.
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