North Carolina school threat assessment law

Does North Carolina require school threat assessment teams?

The superintendent of each public school unit must establish a threat assessment team for each school. At the superintendent's discretion, one team may serve more than one school. Public school units had to set up their teams by March 1, 2024. Public school units are local school administrative units (districts), charter schools and regional schools, plus UNC lab schools and the schools for the deaf and blind. Charter schools must follow the public school unit safety requirements that include the team statute, and the state schools for the deaf and blind must follow the team requirements. The superintendent or a designee must set up a committee to coordinate and monitor the unit's teams; an existing committee may serve.

Who serves on a team?

A threat assessment team is a multidisciplinary team that includes, at least, members with expertise in counseling, instruction, school administration and law enforcement. When practicable, a school psychologist and staff experienced in working with students with special needs and with disabilities must be assigned to the team. If no school psychologist is available, the school may assign a licensed mental health professional instead. The coordinating committee must include members with expertise in human resources, education, school administration, mental health and law enforcement.

When does a team act, and how?

State law defines threat assessment as a fact-based process of identifying, assessing and managing behavior that may pose a risk of violence or other harm to self or others. Teams conduct threat assessments when threatening behavior has been communicated, and when a student's threatening behavior warrants further evaluation. Each unit's governing body must develop policies for assessment and intervention by teams, including any threat-level scale and the standard response to each level. The policies must treat elementary, middle and high school levels differently, as appropriate. Teams must use anonymous reporting apps for students to share school safety concerns. The Center for Safer Schools' March 2024 best-practice guidance follows the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) model. It is guidance, not statute. That guidance calls itself a resource to adapt locally, not a definitive word, and says each unit should get direction from its own legal counsel.

What happens after a credible threat?

After finding a credible threat, the team may take any of the actions the law lists; they are allowed, not required. A team may recommend a mental health referral. If the person is a student or minor, the parents must be told of the recommendation. A team may notify those targeted by the threatening behavior and, for a student or minor, the parent or guardian. A team may notify local law enforcement. School staff may still act immediately on a threat that is an imminent risk. The state guidance must cover involving a student's parent or guardian throughout the threat assessment process, and referral to LME/MCOs (the regional public mental health agencies) for evaluation or treatment when appropriate. After a superintendent refers a student who is uninsured or on Medicaid (not in a prepaid health plan), the LME/MCO must contact the parent or guardian within 10 calendar days and help find existing mental health resources. Units and their staff are not liable in civil damages for carrying out the team policies, unless there is gross negligence, wanton conduct or intentional wrongdoing.

What training is required?

Each team must train students, faculty and staff to recognize and report threatening behavior. Any team may ask the Center for Safer Schools for a training session on running a team. Within 30 days of any such training, the Center must send all teams a brief on it, including lessons learned. The Center must provide training on threat assessment and threat assessment teams.

What about records and confidentiality?

Information shared among team members is confidential and is not a public record. Team members who are not unit employees may review student records under FERPA, through a written agreement with the unit.

What goes to the state?

Each unit must send a copy of its threat assessment policies to the Center for Safer Schools. Each team must report data on its activities to the Center as the Center requires. That data must include the number of assessments each year and demographic information on those assessed.

How does the state support teams?

The Center for Safer Schools had to develop team guidance by December 31, 2023, and all public school units must have access to it. The Center is part of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). The Center says its Behavioral Health Section provides tools, training and support for Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM). The SBI's Behavioral Threat Assessment (BeTA) Unit publishes resource guides for K-12 schools.

What recent bills matter?

The team requirement came from House Bill 605, S.L. 2023-78, approved by the Governor on July 7, 2023. Since 2023, the statute has been amended only by S.L. 2024-57. Pending Senate Bill 782 (2025-2026), the Safe Schools Transparency Act, would create a duty to notify parents of threats. Its last action was re-referral to the Appropriations/Base Budget committee on April 23, 2026.