JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — One week into the start of the school year, and safety at Duval County Schools is under the microscope. The district, and every school district in the state, is required to have a threat assessment team to determine the significance of threats made by students against other students or the school as a whole.
The school board was recently given a report in which Duval Schools had less threats than other school districts of its size. The state of Florida says that the relatively low amount of threats is surprising.
"On one hand we are trying to train or make sure our threat assessment team are fully prepared to conduct a threat assessment," says DCPS Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene, "and on the other hand they're looking to criticize districts for not having enough threat assessments coming."
"It is training that is designed by the state of Florida and it is very comprehensive training and every person on the team has to take it every year," said Duval Schools Chief of Police Gregory Burton on the training that the threat assessment team receives.
In a statement DCPS said:
"We continually reinforce the mantra of “see something – say something.” If any member of the community has evidence of a student threatening harm to self or others, please report it to the police or use the Fortify Florida app (https://getfortifyfl.com/). The law and our procedures now provide a system to document, assess, and respond to such reports, and it is an important element of Florida’s school safety system.
The statute guiding required behavioral assessment teams is the following:
(7) THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAMS.—Each district school board shall adopt policies for the establishment of threat assessment teams at each school whose duties include the coordination of resources and assessment and intervention with individuals whose behavior may pose a threat to the safety of school staff or students consistent with the model policies developed by the Office of Safe Schools. Such policies must include procedures for referrals to mental health services identified by the school district pursuant to s. 1012.584(4), when appropriate, and procedures for behavioral threat assessments in compliance with the instrument developed pursuant to s. 1001.212(12).
(a) A threat assessment team shall include persons with expertise in counseling, instruction, school administration, and law enforcement. All members of the threat assessment team must be involved in the threat assessment process and final decisionmaking. The threat assessment teams shall identify members of the school community to whom threatening behavior should be reported and provide guidance to students, faculty, and staff regarding recognition of threatening or aberrant behavior that may represent a threat to the community, school, or self. Upon the availability of the behavioral threat assessment instrument developed pursuant to s. 1001.212(12), the threat assessment team shall use that instrument.
(b) Upon a preliminary determination that a student poses a threat of violence or physical harm to himself or herself or others, a threat assessment team shall immediately report its determination to the superintendent or his or her designee. The superintendent or his or her designee shall immediately attempt to notify the student’s parent or legal guardian. Nothing in this subsection shall preclude school district personnel from acting immediately to address an imminent threat.
(c) Upon a preliminary determination by the threat assessment team that a student poses a threat of violence to himself or herself or others or exhibits significantly disruptive behavior or need for assistance, authorized members of the threat assessment team may obtain criminal history record information pursuant to s. 985.04(1). A member of a threat assessment team may not disclose any criminal history record information obtained pursuant to this section or otherwise use any record of an individual beyond the purpose for which such disclosure was made to the threat assessment team.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all state and local agencies and programs that provide services to students experiencing or at risk of an emotional disturbance or a mental illness, including the school districts, school personnel, state and local law enforcement agencies, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Health, the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of Education, the Statewide Guardian Ad Litem Office, and any service or support provider contracting with such agencies, may share with each other records or information that are confidential or exempt from disclosure under chapter 119 if the records or information are reasonably necessary to ensure access to appropriate services for the student or to ensure the safety of the student or others. All such state and local agencies and programs shall communicate, collaborate, and coordinate efforts to serve such students.
(e) If an immediate mental health or substance abuse crisis is suspected, school personnel shall follow policies established by the threat assessment team to engage behavioral health crisis resources. Behavioral health crisis resources, including, but not limited to, mobile crisis teams and school resource officers trained in crisis intervention, shall provide emergency intervention and assessment, make recommendations, and refer the student for appropriate services. Onsite school personnel shall report all such situations and actions taken to the threat assessment team, which shall contact the other agencies involved with the student and any known service providers to share information and coordinate any necessary followup actions. Upon the student’s transfer to a different school, the threat assessment team shall verify that any intervention services provided to the student remain in place until the threat assessment team of the receiving school independently determines the need for intervention services.
(f) Each threat assessment team established pursuant to this subsection shall report quantitative data on its activities to the Office of Safe Schools in accordance with guidance from the office and shall utilize the threat assessment database developed pursuant to s. 1001.212(13) upon the availability of the database."