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Student and Family Support (SFS)

Emergency Management Planning for Schools

Information for Schools about the coronavirus (COVID-19)

Laws and Regulations

Also see DESE's Bullying Prevention and Intervention and Medical and Behavioral Health Emergency Response Plan web pages for additional information on school safety laws and regulations.

Additional Information and Resources


Evidence Based Programs, Curricula and Practices

Please note that the following programs and links are provided as resources for schools and districts. School and district leaders have discretion to select evidence-based curricula and other resources that are not on the list. Local education officials should determine which school safety curricula and strategies are most appropriate for each school and grade they oversee, taking into account students' developmental stages, community contexts, and other factors.

Information for Families

COVID-19 Resources

Emergency planning starts at home. Here are some resources to help engage children in family emergency planning efforts:

School Resource Officer (SRO) MOU Information

SRO Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Related Resources

Resources

Resources by Topic

Bullying and Harassment
Bus Safety
Continuity of Operations (COOP) Planning
Drills and Exercises
Emergency Operations Planning (EOP)
NIMS/ICS
Positive Learning Environment
Preparedness
Prevention and Mitigation
Recovery
Reunification
School Health
Special Needs/ Functional and Access Needs
Suicide Prevention
Threat and Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (THIRA)
  • Identifying hazards
  • Assessing hazards
    • Assessing School-Based Hazards: Hazard Assessment Checklist, FEMA
    • Site Assessment — examines the safety, accessibility, and emergency preparedness of the school's buildings and grounds.
    • Culture and Climate Assessment — evaluates student and staff connectedness to the school and problem behaviors.
    • School Threat Assessment — analyzes communication and behaviors to determine whether a student, staff member, or other person may pose a threat.
    • Capacity Assessment — examines the capabilities of students and staff as well as the services and material resources of community partners.
Violence
Weather-related Emergencies
  • Follow National Weather Service's (NWS) Forecast Office — Boston/Taunton, MA
  • Sign up for Massachusetts Alerts, a free public safety alerting app including notifications on severe weather watches and warnings

Resources from State Agencies

Resources at the National Level


For more information or assistance, please contact:

The Office of Student and Family Support (SFS) via achievement@mass.gov or 781-338-3010.

Last Updated: June 8, 2023

 
Contact Us

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

Voice: (781) 338-3000
TTY: (800) 439-2370

Directions

Disclaimer: A reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.