This document is the final technical report of a U.S. Department of Justice–funded study of statewide implementation of school threat assessment in Florida.
This study, funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice to the University of Virginia in 2020, examined the implementation of student threat assessment in Florida public schools. This project investigated threat assessment training and implementation, the kinds of threat cases that schools experienced, and how they were resolved. Of special interest was whether threat assessment was conducted without disproportionate negative consequences for students across diverse groups defined by race, ethnicity, and special education (disability) status. This project used a mixed-method approach with four broad research questions: 1. What are stakeholder reactions to training and implementation of threat assessment in their school? 2. What are the characteristics of threat assessments conducted in Florida public schools? 3. What relationships exist among academic, disciplinary, and legal outcomes for students receiving a threat assessment? 4. Are there adverse disparities in student outcomes associated with race, ethnicity, or special education status?