Before any threat assessment may be performed on a student, Texas H.B. 473 requires that the student's parent or guardian be notified.
After a student's parent or guardian is notified, a threat assessment may be conducted by the school-based, threat assessment team, which should include the Principal or Assistant Principal as the team lead. Other members should include multiple mental health professionals and, depending on the school’s needs, an educator and/or nurse. Using this multi-dimensional analysis of a student’s threat of potential violence allows schools to consider the context in which the threat manifested.
If your child has a documented disability and is receiving 504 or special education services, the school’s threat assessment team should refer to the Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) they have on file for the student. If the student does not have a BIP in place, then the school must perform a manifestation determination to consider your child’s needs.
If your child does not have 504 or special education services in place, then you should request an evaluation in writing.