Maryland school threat assessment law

Does Maryland require school threat assessment teams?

Each local school system must adopt a policy for establishing assessment teams that is consistent with the School Safety Subcabinet's model policy. The deadline was September 1, 2019. The local policy must include a process for regular assessment and intervention, including diversion and de-escalation, when someone's behavior may threaten a student or staff member at a public school. It must include procedures for referring threat information to local law enforcement, the local school system and the county superintendent. It must also include standards for referring someone for evaluation, services or treatment when appropriate. The model policy must give guidance for setting an appropriate number of assessment teams within a local school system. The duty falls on each local school system; the provision does not name private or nonpublic schools. Maryland public charter schools are public schools.

What is the state model policy?

The Subcabinet had to develop a model policy for assessment teams in each local school system by September 1, 2018. In October 2026 the Subcabinet adopted a new Behavior Threat Assessment in Schools Model Policy, which replaces the 2018 model. The 2026 model policy says local boards of education must adopt a local behavior threat assessment policy, using the model as a guide, by December 1, 2027. The Maryland Center for School Safety tells local school systems they have until December 1, 2027 to update their policies. The model policy describes itself as setting the mandatory statewide minimum behavior threat assessment requirements for all Maryland public schools. It says that, under § 7-1507(c), local school system policies shall be aligned to the model. It does not name one instrument: systems pick the threat assessment model or program that fits local needs, and may build their own from established evidence-based models.

Who serves on a team?

By statute, the model policy must give guidance for teams that include members with expertise in student counseling, teaching, school administration and law enforcement. The 2026 model policy says core members must include school administrators, behavioral health professionals, an educator with specific knowledge of the student (such as an IEP or 504 case manager) and law enforcement or a designated school security official. It says a central, system-level team should also be set up, with senior school system administrators and staff from mental health, student services, security and human resources. By statute, the model policy's guidance must also cover teams coordinating among school officials, law enforcement, mental health and other agencies to monitor and respond to possible threats of violence at a school.

What behavior do teams look at?

Maryland law defines "behaviors of concern" as behaviors or threats suggesting a student may harm themselves or others. The model policy must cover assessing someone who is not a student but may threaten students or staff at a public school. The 2026 model policy defines the inquiry stage as gathering information from many sources, such as interviews, records review, prior law enforcement involvement and behavioral and mental health history.

What training is required?

By statute, the model policy must include policies for training assessment teams, including training on implicit bias and on disability and diversity awareness. The 2026 model policy says professional development must be provided for all team members.

What happens after an assessment?

Under the 2026 model policy, every open case must be reviewed at least once within 30 school days. It says interventions and safety plans must be monitored by a designated case manager. It says local policy must define a duty to warn the targeted person, or those responsible for their care, when a school official knows someone poses a threat of violence. It says local policy must define when and how to involve a student's caregivers. It says local policy must set a clear threshold for when law enforcement is asked to support or take over an assessment. It says local policy must state that threat assessment does not replace any part of IDEA (the federal special education law).

What about records and privacy?

The 2026 model policy says teams must follow all state and federal privacy laws, including FERPA and HIPAA, and recognize when the health and safety emergency exceptions apply. It says local policy must define how threat assessment records are kept, meeting confidentiality requirements. It describes a duty to inform when a student under active threat assessment case management transfers to another school system or is placed by the school system in a nonpublic program.

Does the state help or pay for it?

The Maryland Center for School Safety provides technical assistance to local school systems on safe schools and violence prevention. Safe Schools Fund grants to local school systems may pay for training assessment teams.

What recent bills matter?

The assessment-team duty came from the Maryland Safe to Learn Act of 2018 (Chapter 30, SB 1265). HB 326, on an anonymous reporting system run by the Maryland Center for School Safety, was approved by the Governor on May 26, 2026 as Chapter 648. Under it, beginning July 1, 2027, each local school system must take part in that anonymous reporting system, subject to an exception.