Find Resources to Create a Safer School
SchoolSafety.gov was created by the federal government to provide schools and districts with actionable recommendations to create safe and supportive learning environments for students and educators.
Latest News
HHS Awards $131.7 Million to Support At-risk Youth and Families
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, announced $131.7 million awarded in grant programs that connect youth and families to behavioral health services. Awards include $2.4 million to Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health (Project LAUNCH), which promotes the wellness of young children by addressing the social, emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioral aspects of their development; $5.5 million to Cooperative Agreements for School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services and Mental Health Care for Children and Youth, which increases student access to evidence-based and culturally relevant trauma support services and mental health care; and $16.4 million to Healthy Transitions: Improving Life Trajectories for Youth and Young Adults with Serious Mental Disorders Program, which improves and expands access to appropriate services and supports for transition-aged youth and young adults who either have, or are at risk for developing, serious mental health conditions.
ED Announces New Supports to Increase Reach of Mental Health Services and Professionals in Schools
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a $2.6 million award to support mental health services and professionals in schools. The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System will establish a national Mental Health Evaluation, Training, Research, and Innovation Center for Schools (METRICS) to increase support and offer new resources for schools nationwide on training mental health professionals and providing school-based mental health services. The new METRICS Center will support grantees of ED’s two programs for increasing the number of mental health providers in schools – School-Based Mental Health and Mental Health Services Professionals. METRICS will also distribute resources to states, districts, and schools nationwide to help them implement high-quality projects to address the social, emotional, and mental health needs of PK-12 students and increase the number of school-based mental health services providers. Learn More
DHS Releases 2024 Homeland Threat Assessment
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released the 2024 Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA), which continues to identify a high risk of foreign and domestic terrorism in 2024. The HTA provides the public and the Department’s partners with a detailed report on the most pressing threats to the United States as part of the federal government’s continuing effort to assist them in preparing for, preventing, and responding to the diverse and dynamic threat environment. Read the full bulletin, and access school safety-specific resources here. Read More
Back-to-School Internet Safety Tips and Resources
Internet safety education is crucial for adolescent and teen students as well as their families, especially at the start of a new school year. To help keep students safer online, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released updated online safety resources and presentations for parents, educators, and middle school and high school students. The presentations provide best practices and insights for cultivating a safe and positive online experience and include information on social and emotional skills; problem solving and critical thinking; coping skills, resiliency and seeking help; and bystander engagement. Learn More
DHS Awards $20 Million in Effort to Prevent Targeted Violence and Terrorism
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded 34 grants, totaling $20 million, through the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2023. The TVTP Grant Program is the sole U.S. federal government grant program dedicated to helping local communities combat targeted violence and terrorism. It provides financial assistance to eligible applicants to develop targeted violence and terrorism prevention programming, pilot innovative prevention approaches, and identify prevention best practices that can be replicated in communities nationwide. Learn More
CISA Announces Cybersecurity Pledge with K-12 Education Technology Providers
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced a voluntary Secure by Design pledge for K-12 education technology software manufacturers to commit to designing products with greater security built in. The initiative aims to address K-12 cybersecurity issues at the foundation and ensure that schools and administrators have access to safer and more secure technology and software. As of September 1, CISA has received commitments from six K-12 software technology providers, including some of the largest providers of K-12 education software in the United States. Learn More
September is National Preparedness Month
National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that can happen at any time. Emergency planning is a key component of school safety that can include large-scale actions or everyday activities that help build a safe school environment. This September, take a proactive approach to school emergency planning by accessing resources and information from SchoolSafety.gov. Parents and educators can also find activities to teach children about disaster preparedness through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready Kids. Learn More
Resource Spotlight
Emergency Planning Strategies and Resources
Thoughtful and thorough emergency planning and preparation are critical actions schools can take to stop an emergency event from happening or reducing the impact of an incident that does occur. Learn more about this school safety topic, including strategies and resources schools can use to support emergency planning, in SchoolSafety.gov’s latest infographic.
School Safety Topics
Access the following topics for resources, guidance, and information to help you create a safer school. From each of these topic pages, you can sort resources available based upon stages of preparedness and subtopics.
Upcoming Opportunities
Learn about upcoming events, grants, and other opportunities for your school or district.
Discover upcoming school safety events and grants below to help support your school’s or school district’s safety efforts.
Grants
October
6
State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP)
Learn More
November
30
Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV)
Learn More
Events
September
28
Securing K-12 School Environments: Leveraging Video Surveillance to Enhance School Security
Learn More
September
28
ARS Response Skill Building Panel
Learn More
Tools to Get Started
Start with these tools to discover the right resources for your school
Grants Finder Tool
Use the Grants Finder Tool to find applicable funding opportunities to help keep your school community safe.
State Search Tool
Discover your state’s school safety programs and regional contacts from federal agencies. These contacts and programs can be a resource to you as you build your school safety plan.
Resource Search
Find resources, like guidance, training, or fact sheets, that are vetted by SchoolSafety.gov.
Safety Readiness Tool
Identify the efforts you’re taking to address the foundational elements of school safety. Get a personalized action plan with next steps and resources for your school to consider.