ERIC Number: EJ1461727
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Apr
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-3085
EISSN: EISSN-1520-6807
Available Date: 2025-01-27
Referral Rates for School Threat Assessment
Dewey G. Cornell1; Jordan Kerere1; Timothy Konold1; Jennifer Maeng1; Kelvin Afolabi1; Francis Huang2; Deanne Cowley1
Psychology in the Schools, v62 n4 p1294-1305 2025
Although behavioral threat assessment and management (often shortened to "threat assessment") has become widely used in US schools, no studies have systematically examined how frequently schools conduct threat assessments and how threat assessment rates vary as a function of student and school demographics. Of particular concern is that students with disabilities receive threat assessments at disproportionately high rates. This study examined the 1-year frequency of threat assessments in a statewide sample of 611 elementary, 341 middle, and 269 high schools reporting 15,301 threat assessments, of which 41% concerned students with disabilities. We identified threat assessment rate differences associated with student grade, gender, race/ethnicity, and disability status. We further examined the association between threat assessment rates and school-level demographic characteristics including racial/ethnic composition, prevalence of economically disadvantaged students, and proportion of students with a disability. To place these results in context, we compared findings for threat assessment with out-of-school suspension rates. We discuss reasons why students with disabilities might be referred for BTAM at a high rate and recommend practices for assuring their educational rights and needs are safeguarded. Evolving school threat assessment policies should recognize the practice demands placed on school staff to evaluate a substantial number of students.
Descriptors: Elementary Secondary Education, School Violence, School Safety, Student Evaluation, Students with Disabilities, Low Income Students, Grade Level Differences, Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Gender Differences, Suspension, Discipline Policy, Referral, Student Rights, Equal Education, Social Justice, Risk Management, Behavior Problems
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Office of Justice Programs (OJP) (DOJ)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: NIJ2020RFCX0002
Author Affiliations: 1School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; 2College of Education and Human Development, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA