Ohio would fund a statewide school threat assessment system

Schools would form threat assessment teams and use the state's model plan to assess student behavior that may threaten school safety. The requirement applies to public school districts and chartered nonpublic schools, for each building serving grades six through twelve. A building's existing safety team may serve if it meets the same requirements. Teams must include a law enforcement officer and, when possible, members with counseling, teaching, and school administration expertise. Members must complete approved training when appointed and every three years after that, subject to a transition exception for some previously trained members.

The Department of Public Safety would develop a statewide online system for schools to record, review, and share threat assessment information. The program covers school districts and nonpublic schools statewide; participation rules differ for public districts and nonpublic schools. The system would include searches across school and other data sources, with role-based access controls and protections for student records. Districts must participate once the system is implemented; nonpublic schools may choose to participate. The Department would use program fund money to develop and run the system. The Department must establish the program after the section's effective date and public districts must participate once it is implemented.

The state would transfer $9 million to the program fund to support the statewide system. The funds go to the Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Program Fund for the Department of Public Safety's program. The money would support the statewide threat assessment and management program. The transfer would occur on the section's effective date or as soon as possible afterward.