The Georgia Department of Education has released a new statewide resource aimed at helping schools identify and address concerning student behavior before it escalates into violence.
The guide, titled Aligning Student Supports for Safer Schools: A Practical Guide for Implementation, is the first resource of its kind in Georgia and is designed to help school districts integrate student support services with behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) practices already used in schools across the state.
Behavioral threat assessment and management is a preventative approach to school safety that focuses on identifying students who may be exhibiting concerning behaviors and connecting them with appropriate interventions and support. The process typically involves collaboration among trained school personnel, including educators, counselors, administrators, and school resource officers, to assess warning signs and determine appropriate responses before a situation becomes dangerous.
The new guide was developed by the Georgia Department of Education’s Office of Whole Child Supports in partnership with the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center, the National Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.
According to state education officials, the resource provides schools with a framework for integrating Georgia’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (GaMTSS) with existing behavioral threat assessment programs that have been implemented through training provided by GEMA/HS.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods said the guide reflects Georgia’s commitment to taking a proactive approach to school safety.
“To keep schools safe, we must be prepared for the ‘what if,’” Woods said. “The safety of our students, teachers, and staff is our absolute top priority, and through this work Georgia is leading the nation in a proactive approach to ensure every child is safe, supported, and ready to learn.”
Officials with the National Threat Assessment Center said the initiative aligns with the agency’s longstanding focus on preventing school violence through early identification and intervention.
Dr. Lina Alathari, chief of the National Threat Assessment Center, said the collaboration will help schools combine threat assessment practices with support systems that foster positive school climates while reducing the risk of future tragedies.
The guide is intended to help schools better recognize warning signs, respond appropriately to student concerns, and connect students and families with resources before problems become more severe.
To illustrate how the process works in practice, the guide includes a fictional case study that follows a school district as it incorporates behavioral threat assessment into its existing student support framework. The scenario centers on a middle school student whose violent writing raises concerns among staff members.
The case study walks readers through the steps school personnel take to gather information, evaluate whether a credible threat exists, engage the student’s family, and identify factors contributing to the behavior. The example is designed to show how threat assessment processes can be used not only to address potential safety concerns but also to connect students with services and interventions that may help prevent future problems.
The guide also includes QR codes that allow educators to follow the case study throughout the resource, tracing the student’s path from the initial report through assessment, intervention, and ongoing support.
State education officials said the goal is to provide schools with practical tools that strengthen both prevention and intervention efforts while creating safer learning environments for students across Georgia.
Aligning Student Supports for Safer Schools: A Practical Guide for Implementation
