Online Threat Assessment Training Program

Because Threat Assessment Team members are tasked with providing training and education for their school community on key aspects of the threat assessment process and their school entity’s policies, procedures, and protocols, this online course was designed using a “train-the-trainer” approach. Upon completing course modules, training participants will be able to understand and effectively articulate key components of the threat assessment process, including how these processes interact with other school-based practices, models, and interventions.

The PCCD K-12 Threat Assessment training can be applied to Act 48 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours. Those undertaking the training (both online and in-person) should submit their certificates of completion through their school entity to be credited the CPE hours. The context for this is as follows:

Act 18 of 2019 provides that training for threat assessment team members shall be credited toward the following continuing and professional education requirements under Pennsylvania state law: 

• A professional educator’s continuing education requirement under section 1205.2 of the PA Public School Code;
• Any staff development requirements for paraprofessionals under Pa. Code § 14.105;
• A school or system leader’s continuing professional education requirement under section 1205.2 of the PA Public School Code; and
• The school safety and security training required under section 1310-B of the PA Public School Code.

School-based personnel and administrators who complete the core K-12 Threat Assessment T3 online course modules (modules 1 thru 12) or who attend an in-person training session will receive a certificate of completion via email within 10 days of completion, and this should be submitted as part of their school entity’s established mechanisms for receiving CPE credit.

(Note: More information about these professional education requirements and other resources are available on PDE’s Continuing Education webpage). Please note that, at the end of each of the modules you will be asked to submit your completion using a simple form asking for your email address. This ‘module completion form’ enables the project to track how many people are accessing the online training and to tag completed modules to each individual learner, and so is how the project is able to determine who has completed all core modules and will receive their certificate of completion.

For those accessing the T3 as professional development prior to delivering training in their school entity, you are advised to take the modules in sequence, as the course builds through concepts and applied process incrementally.

For individuals who will not be responsible for delivering training, you can begin the training modules with Module 2 (Training Scope, Conduct, Goals and the Legal and Administrative Context). Note that if you are seeking continuing professional education credit, you will need to complete module 1 as well however as the credit is associated with the completion of all 12 modules.