Department of Homeland Security Resources for School Security and Safety
May 9, 2018
Department of Homeland Security Resources for School
Security and Safety
Introduction
Youth Preparedness Council: DHS, through the
Congressional interest in K-12 public school security has
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
increased following a number of recent school shootings.
created this council in 2012 to engage young leaders
Even though public school security is primarily a state and
who are interested in supporting emergency
local responsibility, several federal departments, agencies,
preparedness in their communities and schools. The
and entities provide school security resources. These federal
council provides an avenue to engage young people by
entities include the departments of Education, Justice, and
taking into account their perspectives, feedback, and
Homeland Security. Specifically, the Department of
opinions. The members meet with FEMA staff
Homeland Security (DHS) provides a number of resources
throughout the school year to provide input on
to assist state and local governments in securing public
strategies, initiatives, and projects. Additionally,
schools.
members attend FEMA’s annual council summit in
Washington, DC.
Following the Parkland, FL, shooting, DHS issued a press
release that stated:
School Transportation Security Outreach: DHS
provides guidelines and other materials to school
In the wake of the recent attack in Parkland, Florida,
districts and transportation providers on school bus
the Department of Homeland Security is stepping
security. One of the guidelines provided to school
up actions to better protect our nation’s schools
districts and transportation providers is the “Employee
against gun violence, as well as other potential
Guide to School Bus Security” issued by DHS’s
threats. DHS conducts training, exercises, and
Transportation Security Administration.
preparedness activities year-round to increase the
security of schools across the country and the
DHS Protective Security Advisors: DHS’s Office of
communities in which they are located.
Infrastructure Protection operates the Protective Security
Advisor Program (PSA). PSAs are critical infrastructure
To coordinate DHS’ public school security activities, the
and vulnerability subject matter experts who coordinate
department established an Executive Steering Committee.
and facilitate local activities that advise state, local, and
The committee, according to the DHS press release, “will
private sector officials. The PSA program’s primary
drive DHS school security efforts.” DHS provides
mission is to plan, coordinate, and conduct security risk
assistance for school security in four broad categories:
assessments of nationally significant critical
Education and Community Awareness; Capacity Building,
infrastructure. PSAs, however, also provide planning
Training, and Exercises; Preparedness Grants; and Early
and outreach activities to communities and community
Warning and Reporting. This In Focus is intended to be an
services such as public schools.
overview of DHS public school security resources. It
should be noted that, in some instances, there is little
Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council
publicly available information on some of these resources,
(HSAAC): DHS, in partnership with the Department of
programs, and activities.
Education, is looking to expand the current council
membership to include state and local public school
Education and Community Awareness
administrators, private and parochial school leadership,
DHS states that it engages school administrators, teachers,
and K-12 educational associations. The HSAAC
students, parents, and communities to raise awareness,
provides advice and recommendations to the DHS
communicate best practices, and promote what DHS
Secretary and departmental senior leadership on matters
describes as no-cost/low-cost security measures. These
related to homeland security and the academic
education and community awareness activities include:
community, including student and recent graduate
recruitment; international students; academic research
Hometown Security Program: DHS develops
and faculty exchanges; campus resilience; homeland
partnerships, through outreach activities, between the
security academic programs; and cybersecurity.
private and public sectors in order to mitigate risks and
enhance the security and resilience of public sites and
Campus Resilience Program: The Campus Resilience
events. DHS provides counsel and recommendations
Program is a DHS effort to engage institutions of higher
about protective measures that the private and public
education in developing and testing an emergency
sector can implement to protect venues and such
preparedness and resilience planning processes. DHS’s
facilities as public schools.
Office of Academic Engagement manages this program
and is meant to assist colleges and universities in
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Department of Homeland Security Resources for School Security and Safety
building, sustaining, and promoting resiliency. DHS is
DHS is developing a nationwide public awareness
considering expanding this collegiate program to
campaign modeled on the department’s “See Something,
include K-12 schools, and coordinate outreach for
Say Something” initiative to encourage students, school
schools to access federal support for school security
staff, and communities to report suspicious activity and
activities.
behavior.
Capacity Building, Training, and
DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Exercises
gather, document, process, analyze, and share suspicious
DHS provides direct support to states and localities to
activity reporting (SAR) through the Nationwide SAR
enhance school security through training, exercises, and
Initiative.
workshops. This support includes:
DHS provides intelligence products, analysis, and alerts
Training: DHS provides emergency planning, active
to national stakeholders regarding violent activity,
shooter awareness, mass casualty incident response, and
incidents, and trends which may be used to identify
suspicious behavior training. Training is provided
concerning behavior or other signs of pre-attack
online, in-residence at FEMA’s Emergency
planning.
Management Institute and DHS’s Federal Law
Enforcement Training Center, and through local training
DHS is drafting an operational guide that is to provide
by law enforcement and security professionals.
school staff, law enforcement personnel, and other
public safety officials with plans for schools to develop
Tabletop Exercises and Workshops: DHS hosts and
threat assessment teams. The guide is intended for
supports exercises and workshops throughout the nation
schools and communities to establish central reporting
to discuss security protocols, notifications and alerts,
mechanisms, define thresholds for law enforcement
and response and recovery capabilities with state and
intervention, and identify intervention and management
local governments, first responders, and schools.
strategies for decreasing the risk of a targeted attack on
public schools.
Tactical Emergency Casualty Care Program: DHS
provides high-threat medical training to first responders
DHS is conducting a research study on school attacks
and emergency medical professionals that respond to
that will examine select incidents. The purpose of the
incidents at schools and in other areas within
study is to identify information regarding an attacker’s
communities. Past attendees have included school
motives, prior behaviors, situational factors, and other
administrators and teachers, law enforcement officials,
variables that will enhance prevention efforts and early
and hospital personnel.
warning.
Preparedness Grants
Select DHS School Security Products
DHS provides funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial
Currently, some DHS entities such as FEMA and the U.S.
governments through preparedness grants. These grants can
Secret Service provide guides and reports on school
be used for training, exercises, planning, personnel, and
violence, emergencies, and shootings. These products
equipment to prepare for threats and hazards such as an
include:
active shooter incident at a school. Specifically, DHS’ State
Homeland Security Grant Program, the Urban Area
FEMA, Guide For Developing High-Quality School
Security Initiative, and the Emergency Management
Emergency Operations Plans.
Performance Grant Program provide funding for states,
localities, tribes, and territories for these preparedness
U.S. Secret Service, The Final Report and Findings of
activities; none of these grants are directly available to
the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the
public schools. Instead, states and localities must identify
Prevention of School Attacks in the United States.
school security activities as a priority, and with DHS
approval, grant funding then could be used for school
U.S. Secret Service, Prior Knowledge of Potential
security activities. There is, however, no publicly available
School-Based Violence: Information Students Learn
data on the amount grant recipients have used for school
May Prevent a Targeted Attack.
security activities.
U.S. Secret Service, Campus Attacks: Targeted Violence
Early Warning and Reporting
Affecting Institutions of Higher Education.
DHS, in coordination with academic and law enforcement
entities, is developing processes for identifying and
Shawn Reese, Analyst in Emergency Management and
reporting individuals with concerning behavior or other
Homeland Security Policy
signs of pre-attack planning. Additionally, DHS is
Jared C. Nagel, Senior Research Librarian
conducting the following activities:
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Department of Homeland Security Resources for School Security and Safety
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