The following Needs Assessment Measure will help you determine what your school is doing to create a safer and more enriching learning environment.

The Needs Assessment is arranged according to the three prevention levels explained under Interventions. Evaluate the current status and priority of each prevention measure for your school.

When you are done, look over your results to identify areas that need improvement in your school. Go to Seven Steps to a Safer School for ways to implement positive change.

School-wide Universal Interventions
1. Law enforcement personnel or other trained individuals have assessed school exterior grounds for security concerns.
2. All areas of the building and grounds are supervised. There are no obvious “dead zones” where problems can occur. This includes parking lots, loading docks, and interior stairwells.
3. The interior of the school building is well-lit and clean. It reflects pride in the school’s identity and the accomplishments of its student body.
4. There are effective access control policies and procedures for keeping intruders out of the school.
5. Effective policies and procedures for keeping weapons out of the building exist.
6. A rigidly enforced vital control policy is in effect, and sensitive locks are replaced every three to four years.
7. Effective policies and procedures exist for keeping gang-related “identify” rs” (e.g., “clothing) and behaviors out of the building.
8.   Staff members feel safe at all times during the school day.
9. The school has a well-formulated Mission Statement posted and shared with all parties.
10. The school has an updated, collaboratively written Code of Conduct. It is educational rather than punitive, defining desirable and undesirable behaviors.
11. The administration and tea team have established an inviting learning environment that encourages school bonding and ownership from all student groups.
12. Academic standards are high, and pride in achievement is emphasized and publicly expressed through multiple outlets.
13. Cultural, ethnic, and minority groups are valued; diversity is respected and honored.
14. Parents are welcomed to the building and are provided with opportunities and information to be full partners in their child’s education.
15. All children receive classroom behavior management training, and 95% of disciplinary consequences are administered at the classroom level.
16. All students receive evidence-based classroom instruction in anger management, social problem-solving, and conflict resolution across multiple grade levels.
17. The school has a comprehensive anti-bullying program that is systematically evaluated for its effectiveness.
18. The school has implemented a student peer mediation training program.
19. The school has implemented a peer warning system that allows confidential student communication with identified adults.
20. The school has a broad and represented Crisis Intervention Team trained in crisis response and management.
21. Staff members are professionally trained in emergency first aid and CPR, and their identities and hourly locations are posted.
22. Administration and school personnel have undertaken initiatives to foster community-based support and partnerships.
Selected Interventions
23. All teachers have been trained to differentiate academic instruction to meet diverse student needs.
24. The school has undertaken a unique initiative to improve students’ reading achievement.
25. Effective procedures are in place for systematic, early, and valid identification of students at risk for behavioral, emotional, and academic difficulties.
26. Support services staff has training in evidence-based interventions for students with behavioral, emotional, and academic problems.
27. Support services staff is provided adequate time and relief from other duties to implement interventions for identified students at risk.
28. Existing interventions for at-risk students have undergone recent program evaluations to assess their effectiveness.
29. Administrators treat office referrals as teaching opportunities to augment disciplinary procedures.
30. Out-of-school suspension is rare and used only for apparent student safety issues and when home supervision can be assured.
31. In-school suspension is used sparingly for the most severe offenses and contains an academic support component.
32. School personnel have assessed the drop-out problem and implemented evidence-based dropout preventiodropoutms.
33. The school has implemented a men’s dropout program for at-risk students.
34. Authentic data from disciplinary referrals and academic progress monitoring drive ongoing needs assessment and program planning. Interventions are linked to the data.
Targeted Interventions
35. Students with chronic and persistent behavior problems are routinely provided with assessment-driven behavior intervention plans.
36. Students with chronic anger management and aggression problems are provided with evidence-based skills training by support services staff.
37. All school personnel have been taught and have practiced ways to defuse and redirect students who show evidence of aggressive and violent behaviors.
38. Staff members are professionally trained in student restraint and safe transport, and their identities are known by everyone.
39. Effective partnerships or wraparound arrangements with families, community mental health, law enforcement, and social service agencies are maintained to support the highest-risk students.
40. School personnel have been trained to identify and help students who live with neglect and violence.