WestEd’s Justice & Prevention Research Center partnered with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to evaluate how school districts identify and respond to potential threats—and make those processes more consistent, effective, and fair.
The Challenge
Schools need effective, proactive strategies to identify and address potential threats before violence occurs. One widely adopted approach is threat assessment—referred to in Oregon as Behavioral Safety Assessment (BSA)—which focuses on early identification, evaluation, and intervention for students who may pose a risk to themselves or others. But as more districts adopt BSA, a key question emerged: Is it actually working—and is it working the same way everywhere?
How We’re Taking Action
Using federal funding through a Fiscal Year 2022 Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) STOP School Violence Grant, ODE partnered with us to evaluate BSA operations statewide, with a focus on the Northwest Education Service District.
We observed BSA Community of Practice (CoP) meetings, identifying what’s working, what’s not, and where collaboration could be stronger. That research shaped concrete recommendations to better align CoP activities with statewide goals, and it enabled us to create toolkits and communication templates that schools can actually use.
We evaluated a Training for Trainers (TFT) initiative to assess participants’ readiness to deliver training. We looked at trainer confidence, content knowledge, and whether they were prepared to apply trauma-informed approaches centered on access for all. This resulted in a comprehensive evaluation report with clear recommendations.
We conducted focus group interviews with Level 1 and Level 2 BSA team members to determine what policies guide them and where implementation breaks down. The result was a detailed picture of what makes BSA work and what gets in the way.
Our work is ongoing and continues to expand, including a broader evaluation of BSA across districts within the Northwest Regional Education Service District. These efforts aim to identify effective strategies, address gaps, and inform recommendations that support long-term sustainability and statewide scale.
Resource
“The WestEd team has been an exceptional partner—delivering high-quality evaluation reports, offering thoughtful insights, and engaging in meaningful collaboration throughout the project. André Spence and his colleagues have provided in-depth analysis and actionable recommendations that have strengthened our work and informed continuous improvement. The Department and our statewide partners have greatly benefited from their expertise, professionalism, and commitment to advancing school safety.”
Dr. Danica Jensen Weiner, EdD
Educational Equity, Safety, and Restorative Justice Specialist, Oregon Department of EducationWhat Sets Our Work Apart
Research That Drives Real Change
We don’t just study what’s happening. In every evaluation we conduct, findings are directly connected to clear, actionable recommendations that schools and districts can use.We Know How School Safety Systems Work
From observing team meetings to evaluating training programs, we examine BSA from every angle—we investigate what the model says should happen and what’s happening on the ground.Built to Last
We design evaluations for the long term, identifying tools, processes, and strategies that help districts sustain and scale effective safety practices over time.