The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for and prevent future threats, and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when threats arise. It is co-sealed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which provided expert feedback on the toolkit’s key principles and strategies.
Social media-based and other types of anonymous threats of violence against K-12 institutions are common. According to FBI data, schools were the target of more than 6,000 threats in 2022, most of which were anonymous and posted to social media. These threats can erode trust that schools are safe places, contribute to losses in learning and instruction time, overwhelm school and law enforcement resources and have lasting psychological impacts on school communities.
The K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance was developed to provide K-12 stakeholders with information to both protect school communities and limit the disruption and trauma that can be caused by anonymous threats. By providing guidance to inform decision-making about the urgency and credibility of individual threats, school and public safety leaders may be able to more effectively balance the full range of risks faced by K-12 organizations.
The toolkit emphasizes six key strategies for schools to consider when addressing anonymous threats:
- Build awareness about reporting to detect threats early and deter future threats.
- Develop a partnership structure that will help address threats. This includes school administrators, law enforcement personnel and mental health professionals.
- Engage law enforcement to manage threat situations and decide when to scale response actions up or down.
- Balance initial response steps to ensure the campus is safe. Most critically, treat each threat as credible, and from there, work with necessary partners to determine how to approach an immediate response.
- When appropriate, tap into multidisciplinary threat assessment teams to support interventions and expedite response if the subject who made the threat becomes known.
- Take steps throughout the school year to prepare for threats. Establish a response protocol and practice other types of emergency management activities, such as training exercises for staff.
This release also includes a supplemental reference guide that provides streamlined information for K-12 stakeholders to understand and utilize some of the best practices from the full toolkit. Both products were developed to support the diverse range of K-12 school settings across the United States and are based on current practices of K-12 organizations and law enforcement agencies.
The new toolkit and guide were announced at CISA’s 2024 National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security, an annual event that brings together K-12 school leaders and practitioners to discuss and share actionable recommendations that enhance safe and supportive learning environments.
To learn more and access the K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance, please visit cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/k-12-anonymized-threat-response-guidance