Safe School Assessment

 The assessment process begins with a written request from the school district’s superintendent.

When funds become available, a letter is sent to the superintendent confirming a date and time for an assessment team to visit the school.

Approximately (8) weeks before the assessment visit takes place, surveys will be sent to the school principal to be administered to staff, students, and parents.

The principal will collect the surveys, and send them to the KCSS office at Eastern Kentucky University for compilation and analysis approximately (4) weeks prior to the team visit.

The school will be asked to provide several documents for the team leader. Such documents may include, but are not limited to:

• Student Handbook
• School’s Behavior Management Plan (if one exists)
• School District’s Student Code of Conduct
• School Emergency Management Plan
• School Safety Plan (if one exists)
• Supervision Roster
• Anything else that would relate to school safety issues

On the day of the assessment visit, the team (five members) will:

• Meet the school principal on arrival
• Observe arrival and dismissal procedures
• Conduct interviews with staff members, students, and parents (The principal sets up the interviews based on an “interview template” provided by KCSS.)
• Observe class changes and transitions
• Observe breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria
• Conduct a physical plant walk-through (by a sixth team member)

Team members will meet an hour before school dismisses to draft a preliminary report for the principal. Then, toward the end of the school day, the team leader will meet with the principal and anyone else the principal would like to have at the meeting.

Toward the end of the school day, the team leader will meet with the principal and anyone else the principal would like to have at the meeting.

A comprehensive report will be sent to the superintendent, principal and safe schools coordinator approximately 4-6 weeks after the visit. It will contain:

• Safety Assessment Report
• Building and Grounds Report
• Survey Report

KCSS will work with schools to provide “wrap-around” services if they are requested. This usually consists of training sessions based on areas of concern in the Safety Assessment Report and is provided at low or no cost to the school or the district.