This full-day, introductory training provides Vermont educators, school staff, and safety partners with a foundational understanding of School Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) principles and practices. Participants will explore the history and prevalence of school violence, distinguish between impulsive and targeted violence, and learn the step-by-step procedures of the BTA process through case studies, scenario-based exercises, and interactive discussion. 

Grounded in evidence-based research and aligned with national best practices and Vermont-specific legal mandates (including 16 V.S.A. § 1485, Section 504, and trauma-informed and anti-bias practices), the course supports participants in building effective school threat assessment teams and implementing preventive interventions that are non-punitive and student-centered. 

Key Topics Include: 

• Overview of the history, myths, and prevalence of school violence 

• Understanding the “Pathway to Violence” and behavioral indicators 

• Key principles and components of a school-based BTA program 

• Step-by-step threat assessment process (identification, inquiry, assessment, action planning) 

• Case management planning and resource coordination 

• Vermont legal requirements (e.g., exclusionary discipline, manifestation determination, civil rights protections) 

• Roles and responsibilities of multidisciplinary BTA teams 

• Case studies of completed and averted acts of school violence 

• Promoting reporting culture, student connection, and school climate improvement