Virginia
Virginia has many agency programs and contacts that can help your school build a school safety plan. Check out these resources as you develop your plan.
State Programs
Contact Information
State Resources
State Grants & Funding Opportunities
State Events & Opportunities
State Programs
Virginia Department of Education
The mission of the Virginia Department of Education is to lead and facilitate the development and implementation of a quality public education system that meets the needs of students and assists them in becoming educated, productive, responsible, and self-reliant citizens.
Website: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/
Division & School Safety
The Division & School Safety program provides tips, resources, and planning guides to help schools maintain a safe and secure building.
Center for School and Campus Safety
Created in 2000, the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (VCSCS), located within the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Service, focuses on improving and enhancing safety by addressing topics which affect Virginia law enforcement, schools, and institutions of higher education.
Website: https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/virginia-center-school-and-campus-safety
SRO/SSO Incentive Grant Program
This grant program provides funding to localities to place either a School Resource Officer or School Security Officer in elementary and secondary schools where none currently exist.
Community Preparedness
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management helps users learn about the types of emergencies and disasters that can occur in their state, make a plan to prepare for hazards and threats and gather the supplies needed to be prepared for emergencies.
Website: https://www.vaemergency.gov/
K-12 Curriculum and Resources
This page contains VCSCS publications and other helpful links on a variety of topics to include the Virginia School Safety Audit program, crisis and emergency planning, school resource officers, threat assessment, bullying and school climate, and additional resources.
Website: https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/virginia-center-school-and-campus-safety/k-12-resources-and-curriculum
School Resource Officers
This page offers information and resources for School Resource Officers in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Website: https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/virginia-center-school-and-campus-safety/school-resource-officers
K-12 Threat Assessment
Over the past decade, the Commonwealth of Virginia has led the nation in efforts to implement threat assessment procedures in institutions of higher education and pre-K-12 public schools. In 2013, the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation requiring all public school divisions to establish and operate threat assessment teams in support of their schools- making Virginia the first state in the country to require such action.
Website: https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/virginia-center-school-and-campus-safety/threat-assessment-virginia
Contact Information
State and Local
Federal
Other
State Resources
Civilian Response and Casualty Care
State Agency
This one day course offered by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services provides strategies, guidance, and a proven plan for surviving an active shooter event. Topics include the history and prevalence of active shooter events, civilian response options and basic medical intervention to reduce preventable causes of death.
K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment Training
State Agency
This one day, basic threat assessment training offered by the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety provides K-12 threat assessment teams with tools and resources to conduct and manage threat cases as required by Virginia code. It is designed to help schools continue to comply with VA Code § 22.1-79.4 (creation of threat assessment teams) and § 9.1-184 (collection and reporting of data by threat assessment teams).
School Resource Officer and School Administrator Basic Course
State Agency
This four and a half day course offered by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services focuses on working with youth, school safety, school law, and in particular, the functions of school resource officers and school administrators in a PreK-12 school environment. This course is required for all law enforcement officers assigned as SROs to a Virginia public school.
School Security Officer Initial Certification Training
State Agency
This two day class offered by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) includes a presentation of the five DCJS school security officer modules followed by the required DCJS testing. This training is intended for school security officers, currently employed by a Virginia Public School Division or by a private school within the Commonwealth, who are in need of initial certification.
Suicide Prevention Guidelines for Virginia Public Schools
State Agency, 2020
These guidelines provide information to assist local school boards in revising policies to help prevent suicide and procedures to intervene when suicidal threats are present, and how to manage the crisis response when a death by suicide occurs in the school community.
Virginia School Safety Audit Program
State Agency
This webpage provides an overview of the Virginia School Safety Audit Program and its five safety audit components. All Virginia public schools are required to conduct an annual school safety audit in order to assess school safety conditions.
School Security Officer Certification Program
State Agency
This webpage provides information for the Virginia School Security Officer Certification Program, including FAQs, forms, events, resources, and contacts.
State Grants & Funding Opportunities
SRO/SSO Incentive Grant Program
State Agency
Grants to localities for School Resource Officer and School Security Officer positions.
State Events & Opportunities
Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety Training Page
DCJS Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety
The VCSCS holds over 150 training and conference events annually, serving more than 8000 people with an interest in school and campus safety and law enforcement training each year. We have expanded our offerings to include many virtual training options in response to the pandemic.
DCJS Updates
DCJS Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety
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