THREAT MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

SENATE BILL 11 (86TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION)

Senate Bill 11 of the 86th session of the Texas legislature made significant changes to Subchapter D, Chapter 37, of the Texas Education Code, relative to threat assessment and parent notification in Texas public schools. This bill requires Campus Threat Assessment teams, tracking of actions taken relative to students who make threats, and notification of parents if serious threats are made. 

Subchapter D. Sec. 37.113.  NOTIFICATION REGARDING BOMB THREAT OR TERRORISTIC THREAT.

A school district that receives a bomb threat or terroristic threat relating to a campus or other district facility at which students are present shall provide notification of the threat as soon as possible to the parent or guardian of or other person standing in parental relation to each student who is assigned to the campus or who regularly uses the facility, as applicable (Texas Education Code).

All campus principals, assistant principals, school resource officers and counselors in Fort Bend ISD have completed extensive training in student threat assessment, as developed by Dewey Cornell and is implemented in over 100 school districts nationwide.

Fort Bend ISD’s threat assessment protocol helps to reduce the risk of violence, increases school safety, identifies educational needs and support services for students who have made a threat, and provides reasonable and accepted practices for violence prevention.

Campus Student Threat Assessment Teams take appropriate action when there are indications that a student is planning to commit a violent act. The Campus Student Threat Assessment Team (CSTAT) is composed of the Principal, Associate Principal/Campus Behavior Coordinator, Assistant Principal, Counselor, Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (as appropriate), School Resource Officer, and other individuals who have significant contact with the alleged aggressor. A threat assessment is conducted when a person (or persons) threatens to commit a violent act or engages in behavior that appears to threaten an act of violence.

The District Threat Assessment Team follows up with the campus when a threat is determined to be a substantive threat to provide additional assessment, guidance, and safety planning. Members of the District Student Threat Assessment Team (DSTAT) are the Executive Director and Director for Student Affairs, a District Licensed Professional Counselor for Threat Assessment, Department of Student Affairs Assistant Director, Crisis Intervention Police Officer, the Fort Bend ISD Police Chief, Public Information Officer, Student Affairs Intake Specialist, and the Child Psychologist.

TRAINING

All Campus Student Threat Assessment Team (CSTAT) members are trained quarterly on best practice models in varying issues related to violence prevention, the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CTAG), and the threat management process. The District Student Threat Assessment Team (DSTAT) members have received initial and on-going training at the National School Safety Summit, the Texas School Safety Center Behavioral and Digital Threat Assessment training and the Annual conference, and have extensive training in threat assessment and management.

IMPLEMENTATION

Fort Bend ISD began its Threat Assessment Program in the Spring of 2019 as a comprehensive approach to prevention and school safety. Campuses are expected to report and investigate all threats of violence immediately and work actively to prevent acts of violence before they occur, using a Multi-Tiered System of Support, including PBIS, the district’s Behavioral Health and Wellness Department, the SEL department, local behavioral health partners, and other community resources.

IMPROVEMENT/MONITORING

All Campus Student Threat Assessment Team (CSTAT) members are retrained as needed annually, with new quarterly topics added. As audits demonstrate the need for campus improvements, site visits are conducted for retraining campus staff on threat assessment processes. Campus Behavior Coordinators are retrained at quarterly training. The Department of Student Affairs also partners with the Division of Behavioral Health and Wellness and the Department of Special Education to offer supportive services to students who have made threats or been victims of threats.

WHAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW

• Threats must be reported quickly so the school can take swift action. Students, staff and our families can report anything they consider threatening or unsafe to a campus administrator, teacher, or trusted adult. Information can also be shared anonymously through the Fort Bend ISD Crime Stoppers program at (281) 491-TIPS, through the See Something, Share Something app. You can also contact the Fort Bend ISD Police Department directly at (281) 634-5500.
• It is imperative that information gets reported quickly. Please refrain from sharing screenshots with anyone other than law enforcement as this complicates and delays the investigation. 
• The investigation may involve the District threat assessment counselor or psychologist, the police, or other community agencies
• The investigation may involve locker or personal property searches
• Interviews will be held with the threat maker and other students or adults who may have information about the threat
• Parents of students who are directly involved will be notified
• Threatening behavior may result in disciplinary action and any applicable criminal charges
• An intervention plan may be developed for the student making the threat and a support plan developed for any individuals targeted by violence.
• Parents and students may provide feedback on how incidents are handled by engaging with the District using Let’s Talk.

METHODS TO REPORT THREATS

Students, staff and our families can report anything they consider threatening or unsafe to a campus administrator, teacher, or trusted adult. Information can also be shared anonymously through the Fort Bend ISD Crime Stoppers program at (281) 491-TIPS, through the See Something, Share Something app. You can also contact the Fort Bend ISD Police Department directly at (281) 634-5500.

PARENT NOTIFICATION

The student’s parent or guardian shall be notified if any prohibited articles or materials are found in a student’s locker or vehicle parked on school property, or on the student’s person as a result of a search conducted in accordance with this policy.

COLLECTION NOTICE:

The Fort Bend Independent School District is subject to personal information privacy laws and will undertake the collection of this information in compliance with the requirements of such laws, including by limiting collection to information that is relevant and necessary to address a risk or threat and by ensuring that information is collected from an online source is only obtained from open-source sites. The Fort Bend School District will not collect information as part of a threat assessment unless there is reason to believe that a risk exists. Information collected as part of a threat assessment may be provided to law enforcement authorities in appropriate circumstances.

Chief Rider Video_School Threats