“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.
Although it may seem that removing the student from school is the safest option, research has shown that exclusionary discipline, such as a suspension or an expulsion, can have lasting negative effects on students and may not effectively reduce risk.
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.
Sample (no n: a percentage change, not a share of a sample) · a percentage that is not a share of a sample (e.g. a percentage-point change or a weighted estimate of the population)
BTAM has emerged as a widely adopted approach to address these challenges in K–12 schools across the United States, with federal data showing that as many as 85 percent of schools nationwide had a BTAM team in place as of 2024
The BTAM approach involves a multidisciplinary team—often including school administrators, counselors, and public safety professionals—systematically evaluating and responding to concerning student behaviors or threats.
These teams are at the core of school- or district-level BTAM programs, which schools and districts often implement as part of their broader school safety efforts.
The BTAM process typically includes three stages: referral of a student based on observed behaviors or reported concerns, assessment of whether a student poses a risk of harm, and management of the situation through tailored interventions.
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.
Although several entities, such as private organizations, federal government agencies, and U.S. states, have developed BTAM models and frameworks for use by K–12 schools, many schools and districts across the country have also developed their own models and approaches, as this report discusses.
In this report, we focus on BTAM implementation at the level of K–12 schools and school districts.
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