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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Santa Cruz County Grand Jury • 2016-2017

Assessing the Threat of Violence in our Public Schools

Published: May 30, 2017 12 pages
View PDF View Full Original

Findings and Recommendations 10 findings

F1 Page 53
In a threat situation, timely and specific communication from the school to the community can reduce fear, anxiety, anger, and frustration.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Page 54
The County Superintendent of Schools should advocate school districts inform parents and guardians on how and when they will be contacted in the event of a threat. (F1)
F2 Page 53
Confusion over the disclosure of protected information regarding juveniles has been a barrier to the timely exchange of vital information between school districts and law enforcement, although FERPA permits disclosure of juvenile student information to law enforcement without parental consent.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Page 54
The County Office of Education (COE) and the County Sheriff's Office (CSO) should advocate that the threat assessment plan for each school district has a written agreement with law enforcement in which restricted information may be exchanged during the investigation of a threat. (F2)
F3 Page 53
Threat assessment is a necessary part of the comprehensive school safety plan, but very little direct guidance has been provided to school districts in how to go about doing it.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Page 54
The COE and the CSO should collaborate to develop a plan in which all school districts are prepared and capable of assessing a threat of targeted school violence. (F3, F5–F7)
F4 Page 53
Investigating a threat may involve actions that can only be done by law enforcement, necessitating coordination and collaboration in formulating and implementing a threat assessment plan.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Page 54
The County Sheriff and the County Superintendent of Schools should act as boundary spanners to facilitate collaboration between the school districts and law ​ enforcement in assessing threats. (F4)
F5 Page 53
Seven of the ten districts have a specific threat assessment plan; those districts without a plan are less able to respond effectively to threats. All of these reported that local law enforcement was aware of their plan.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Page 54
The COE and the CSO should collaborate to develop a plan in which all school districts are prepared and capable of assessing a threat of targeted school violence. (F3, F5–F7)
F6 Page 53
Only one school district had a threat assessment plan that was created with the help of law enforcement, leaving all other districts at a disadvantage in addressing threats. Published June 13, 2017 52 Santa Cruz County Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (2)
R3
Page 54
The COE and the CSO should collaborate to develop a plan in which all school districts are prepared and capable of assessing a threat of targeted school violence. (F3, F5–F7)
R5
Page 54
The CSO and Chiefs of Police should ensure a law enforcement representative, preferably a School Resource Officer, be made available to school districts drafting or revising a threat assessment plan. (F6, F8)
F7 Page 54
Three of the four districts with a single school lack the personnel to adequately assemble a threat assessment team.
Related Recommendations (2)
R3
Page 54
The COE and the CSO should collaborate to develop a plan in which all school districts are prepared and capable of assessing a threat of targeted school violence. (F3, F5–F7)
R7
Page 54
The COE should advocate each school district either has or has access to a multidisciplinary threat assessment team, including a representative from law enforcement. (F7, F9)
F8 Page 54
All threat assessment teams had training in the 2015-16 school year, but not all districts attended a professional threat assessment training held in the spring of 2017.
Related Recommendations (2)
R5
Page 54
The CSO and Chiefs of Police should ensure a law enforcement representative, preferably a School Resource Officer, be made available to school districts drafting or revising a threat assessment plan. (F6, F8)
R6
Page 54
The County Superintendent of Schools should advocate each school district receives periodic training in assessing threats of targeted school violence. (F8)
F9 Page 54
Countywide, only two of 11 SROs were included as members of a threat assessment team.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
Page 54
The COE should advocate each school district either has or has access to a multidisciplinary threat assessment team, including a representative from law enforcement. (F7, F9)
F10 Page 54
Not all local law enforcement agencies have personnel trained in assessing threats of school violence, leaving them less able to assist schools.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
Page 54
The County Sheriff and the Chiefs of Police should ensure their respective law enforcement agencies attend periodic training in assessing threats of targeted school violence. (F10) Published June 13, 2017 2016–2017 Consolidated Final Report 53