Registration is open for Vermont's free school behavioral threat-assessment training Dec. 8 and 9, with both sessions offered online from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern.
The Agency of Education is offering the training with Safe and Sound Schools. Level 1, an introduction, is scheduled for Dec. 8. Level 2, the advanced session, follows Dec. 9. Each day includes a lunch break from 11 a.m. to noon.
The sessions are intended for educators, school staff and safety partners who assess reported threats and arrange support or intervention. Level 1 is designed for staff new to that work. Level 2 is for people who have completed Level 1 and are supporting or leading a school's threat-assessment efforts.
Vermont law requires team members to train at least annually in assessment practices and bias. The required subjects include disability rights, the effects of trauma and the consequences of excluding students from school. The agency says its sessions meet the requirement.
Participants receive attendance verification for six hours of professional development. The agency says funding constraints limit its training offerings; schools may choose other programs that meet the statutory requirements.
Schools can register through the organizer's training page. Questions about Vermont's requirements can be sent to taylor.goodwin@vermont.gov.
Training registration; Agency training guidance; Vermont school-safety law.