DHS, ED, DOJ, HHS team up to provide government-wide resources for local schools and educators

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration today launched the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse website: SchoolSafety.gov. This website is a one-stop-shop of resources for Kindergarten through Grade 12 (K-12) administrators, educators, parents and law enforcement to use to prepare for and address various threats related to safety, security, and support in schools. President Trump established the Federal Commission on School Safety to review safety practices and make meaningful and actionable recommendations of best practices to keep students safe.

“School safety is the number one priority of parents across the country, which is why the President directed DHS and other federal agencies to form a taskforce and provide schools, teachers, parents, and law enforcement with resources to identify, prepare for, respond to, and mitigate threats, “said Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. “The Department provided expertise and resources on a range of school safety issues including threat assessments, physical security, emergency planning, and trainings and exercises designed to help schools and local law enforcement prepare for incidents. With these resources, schools and law enforcement will be better equipped to handle a crisis.”

“All students deserve a safe learning environment, and the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse is an essential resource for information and best practices,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, chair of the Federal Commission on School Safety. “Because every school community has its own unique needs, SchoolSafety.gov equips decision makers with resources for developing, customizing, and implementing actionable school safety plans.”

“Every child should feel safe at school, and every parent should feel their child is safe each day, too,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “SchoolSafety.gov will help equip schools with the tools they need to create safe, healthy environments, including resources for how to provide mental health services in schools. This new one-stop shop complements the evidence-based technical assistance HHS provides to local communities around mental health treatment, and we hope to see more and more schools explore these opportunities.”

“The Department of Justice has no higher priority than making sure our schools are safe and secure for our nation’s students, teachers and administrators,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “I am grateful for President Trump’s leadership in this cause and am honored to stand with the rest of the leadership of his Administration as we continue our efforts to promote school safety through schoolsafety.gov. The Department of Justice is deeply grateful for the sacrifice and commitment of our nation’s school resource officers and police officers who are on the front lines of keeping our schools and country safe every day.”

SchoolSafety.gov is a resource for the American public, primarily K-12 school administrators, to access free information, guidance, best practices, and tools that make school safety initiatives more actionable in schools. Today’s launch represents the first phase of SchoolSafety.gov and we look forward to continually expanding and refining resource materials in coordination with our partners and stakeholders.

The Federal School Safety Clearinghouse and SchoolSafety.gov were developed to fulfill one of the key recommendations from the Federal Commission on School Safety.

SchoolSafety.gov includes:

The School Safety Readiness Tool, an assessment that assists users in evaluating their respective school’s safety posture across ten foundational elements of school safety. After completing the assessment, users are provided an action plan with task prioritization, options for consideration, aligned resources, and grant opportunities specific to individual needs;

A Secure Information Sharing Platform for designated school personnel to share school safety ideas, practices, plans, and tactics in a protected environment; and

A wide array of resources and best practices on key school safety topics to assist with building awareness within the school community to promote vigilance and build capacity to respond to incidents.

SchoolSafety.gov empowers districts and schools to improve safety and security. Following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida in March 2018, President Trump established the Federal Commission on School Safety by Executive Order to make meaningful advancements in keeping students safe. The Trump Administration and DHS also released the 2019 strategy for targeted violence that defines ways that the Department will enhance security with increased preparedness, promoting community readiness, and enhancing defensive measures. The Department will continue to develop new techniques in protective practices.