Safe, secure, resilient, and accessible education system infrastructure, both physical and digital, is an essential factor for success. Yet, the digital infrastructure in the nation's K-12 schools is increasingly under threat from malicious cyber actors. This fact sheet: (1) describes the most common types of cyber threats currently facing school…

Comprehensive school emergency management planning requires input and collaboration from multidisciplinary stakeholders that represent the whole school community. The involvement of those who are affected by and help carry out the school emergency operations plan (EOP) can help ensure buy-in and the quality of the plan, as well as build the…

Though part of the larger public school system, charter schools typically do not operate in school buildings and are not always mandated to follow the same rules and regulations for school districts, which can make planning efforts for funding, facilities, and emergency management difficult to navigate. Charter schools typically receive per pupil…

As online classrooms become more common, schools and school districts should consider how use of them might impact school safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness planning and how online classrooms may be affected by various hazards and threats. This fact sheet provides emergency management planning considerations for online…

As outlined in the "Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (School Guide)" (ED571878), multidisciplinary planning teams--composed of school personnel and community partners--can develop a comprehensive school emergency operations plans (EOP) customized to the needs of the students, the staff, and the…

State education agencies (SEAs) play a unique and essential role in supporting schools and school districts as they develop prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery protocols for their emergency operations plans (EOPs). With input from a broad array of stakeholders and experts, SEAs are positioned to aid schools and school…

Schools have the task of keeping students and staff safe; thus, emergency management planning is critical in rural communities despite the unique circumstances and challenges they may face. "Education Across America: Cities, Suburbs, Towns, and Rural Areas," a Website released by the National Center for Education Statistics, illuminates…

K-12 administrators, such as district superintendents, school principals, and assistant principals, must support and engage in emergency management planning in order to develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive school emergency operations plans (EOPs). Engaging school administrators is crucial because their involvement is essential to…

Schools and institutions of higher education (IHEs) are an integral part of their communities; when a community experiences a major emergency event or incident, schools and IHEs in that community are also affected. Comprehensive emergency operations plans (EOPs) should, therefore, consider all threats and hazards that may occur within the…

In collaboration with their local government and community partners, schools can take a proactive approach to crime prevention as a part of developing, implementing, and maintaining school emergency operations plans (EOPs) using the "Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (School Guide)" [ED571878]. In…

Ensuring that students come to school prepared to learn involves comprehensive emergency management planning that supports students in all settings and at all times. This includes protecting students as they participate in online spaces. As Internet communication technology continues to advance, so do opportunities for criminals to entice,…

The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (REMS) has created a list of resources on the role of mental health professionals in school safety efforts. The list includes the following categories: (1) Before an Emergency; (2) During an Emergency; (3) After an Emergency; and (4) Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)…

A safe school environment is crucial to the healthy academic and social development of students, and the safety of a school environment affects a range of factors, from staff retention to parent satisfaction. Perhaps most important, student perceptions of safety affect their academic achievement. When students feel safe, they are better able to…

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) research on historical flood risk, 98 percent of U.S. counties have been impacted by a flooding event. Not only do flood events occur in and impact all regions of the United States, but they are also costly. Therefore, it is in the interest of communities for education…

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) research on historical flood risk, 98 percent of U.S. counties have been impacted by a flooding event. Not only do flood events occur in and impact all regions of the United States, but they are also costly. Therefore, it is in the interest of communities for institutions of higher…