School Emergency Planning Resources
Governor's School Safety Initiative
On June 14, 2022, Gov. Reynolds announced $100 million in school safety funding to support Iowa’s 327 public school districts and 183 nonpublic and independent schools during a press conference with the Department of Public Safety, Department of Education, and the Department Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Breakdown of funds:
- $75M – School Safety Improvement Fund
- $7.5M – Vulnerability assessments for all 1,500 K-12 school buildings
- $6M – Digital critical incident mapping technology
- $4.5M -- Radios for schools
- $1.5M -- Digital applications and software for reporting and intelligence
- $5.5M -- School Safety Bureau operations funding through 2026
More info on the overall program:
https://educateiowa.gov/pk-12/school-facilities/school-safety/governor-s-school-safety-initiative
https://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/programs/school-safety/
Questions about vulnerability assessments or grants, email: schoolsafetygrant@iowa.gov
School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT)
The K-12 School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT) is provided by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The SSAT is designed to help inform your school’s safety and security planning process by taking stock of what security measures and associated supports are in place across your campus, and where you can make improvements to improve the safety and security of your school community. The tool focuses on protection (keeping people and property safe from threats and emergencies) and mitigation (reducing the damage or harm from safety-related incidents) and will help you apply the three physical security strategies of detection, delay, and response.
K-12 School Security Guide
K-12 school communities face an evolving and unique set of threats, hazards, and security challenges ranging from targeted violence to bombing threats to cyberattacks. School violence remains a persistent problem across the United States, with tragedies spanning decades, states, and communities and impacting the health and well-being of our nation’s youth. The Department of Homeland Security along with many others from across government, law enforcement and communities nationwide has redoubled its efforts and is poised to continue enhancing school safety and security. This page offers a starting place for DHS documents, resources and tools related to school safety and security.
Click HERE to go to CISA's School Safety and Security Resource Page
SchoolSafety.gov
SchoolSafety.gov was created by the federal government to provide schools and districts with actionable recommendations to create a safe and supportive learning environment where students can thrive and grow.
School Safety Topics Include:
- Bullying and Cyberbulling
- Mental Health
- Threat Assessment and Reporting
- School Climate
- School Security Personnel
- Emergency Planning
- Physical Security
- Recovery
- Training, Exercises and Drills
Go HERE to get Started