School tip line laws
Where every state stands on anonymous tip lines for reporting school threats and safety concerns.
Every fact checked against the official source by an independent reviewer · Last verified October 26, 2026
- Required by law22
- Allowed by law4
- Guidance only16
- No law found9
What is a school tip line law?
A school tip line lets students, staff and families report threats and safety concerns, often without giving their name, by phone, app, email or website. Some laws make the state run the line. Colorado's Safe2Tell program "must" keep anonymous ways to report dangerous or violent activity in schools, and must keep reporters' identities unknown, even to law enforcement. Other laws put the duty on schools. Georgia requires each local board of education or public school governing body to have an anonymous reporting program by July 1, 2026, run itself or through a provider, unless it already ran a substantially compliant one on July 1, 2025. Some do both. Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security must offer an anonymous reporting tool to every district, and each local school district must provide one, using the state tool or an equivalent. Florida's Department of Law Enforcement must procure FortifyFL, an anonymous mobile reporting tool, and district school boards must promote it.
Which states have a school tip line law?
The table below gives the status in every state and the District of Columbia as of October 26, 2026.
| State | What the law says | Law or rule | Who runs it | What schools must do | Anonymity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No law found. The closest law is a state model policy on bullying, violence and threats, which must include a procedure for reporting threats of violence. | — | — | Adopt a policy under the bullying, violence and threats law, and plans that encourage students to report | An anonymous report alone may not be the basis for formal discipline of a student |
| Alaska | No law found. School employees, students and volunteers must report bullying to a school official, which is a direct report, not an anonymous tip system. | — | No school line; State Troopers take general crime tips | Report bullying to a school official | — |
| Arizona | No law found. The state's School Safety Task Force recommended a statewide tip line, but that is a recommendation, not law. | — | No school line; DPS runs a general tips system | Governing bodies adopt policies for staff to report suspected crimes against a person or property | — |
| Arkansas | Required by law, for districts and charter schools: the reporting strategies they carry out with law enforcement must include anonymous reporting. | Ark. Code § 6-15-1303(i)(3); 6 CAR § 249-106 | Each district; a 2019 law also directs UAMS to set up a pilot line, ARSafeSchools, voluntary for schools | Carry out reporting strategies, including anonymous reporting of threats, with local law enforcement | Anonymous reporting required in district strategies; ARSafeSchools messages are confidential and exempt from FOIA |
| California | No law found. School officials must report a threat of a school-related homicidal act to law enforcement right away, a staff duty, not a tip line. | — | — | Officials at schools serving grades 6 to 12 report threats to law enforcement immediately | — |
| Colorado | Required by law, on the state: the Safe2Tell program "must" keep anonymous ways to report dangerous, violent or criminal activity in schools. | C.R.S. 24-31-606; C.R.S. 22-1-136 | Department of Law, administered by the attorney general | Print the Safe2Tell phone, website and text number on every public school student ID card | The program must keep reporters' identities unknown, even to law enforcement |
| Connecticut | No law found. A bullying-only duty to let students report anonymously in school climate plans was repealed effective July 1, 2025. | — | — | Adopt the state school climate policy from the 2025-26 school year | — |
| Delaware | Guidance only. The state's School Safety Center offers the SAFE DE anonymous reporting app; using it is voluntary, and some districts declined it. | DEMA program (guidance) | Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) School Safety Center | Voluntary | The app takes anonymous reports from staff and students |
| District of Columbia | Guidance only. The Deputy Mayor for Education's model procedures tell threat assessment teams to accept reports from any source, including anonymous tips. | DME School Safety Model SOPs, 2026 (guidance) | Deputy Mayor for Education's School Safety Office | Adopt a bullying policy that includes a way to report bullying anonymously | Anonymous bullying reports allowed; no formal response may rest only on one |
| Florida | Required by law, on the state and districts: FDLE must procure FortifyFL, an anonymous mobile reporting tool, and district school boards must promote it. | s. 943.082, F.S.; Rule 6A-1.0018(10), F.A.C. | Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with the Department of Legal Affairs | Promote FortifyFL and teach students how to use it within the first 5 days of each school year | The tool must tell users they may report anonymously; a reporter's identity is exempt from public records |
| Georgia | Required by law, for local boards and public school governing bodies: each must have an anonymous reporting program by July 1, 2026, unless it already ran a substantially compliant one on July 1, 2025. | O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.1(f) (HB 268, 2025) | Each local board or governing body, directly or through a provider | Run a 24/7 program with a mobile app and a multilingual crisis center, and forward reports to school teams | Any person must be able to report anonymously |
| Hawaii | Guidance only. The Department of Education encourages students to report bullying, including through its anonymous Speak Now HIDOE app. | HIDOE anti-bullying program page (guidance) | Hawaii Department of Education | HIDOE says school personnel will investigate reported bullying | Students may report anonymously if they choose |
| Idaho | Guidance only. The Office of School Safety and Security runs See, Tell, Now!, which it describes as confidential reporting for Idaho schools. | State program page (guidance); office set up under Idaho Code 33-5904 | Idaho Office of School Safety and Security | — | Described as confidential |
| Illinois | Required by law, on the state and to the extent funds are appropriated: the State Police must set up Safe2Help Illinois, a school helpline open 24/7. | 5 ILCS 860 (Student Confidential Reporting Act); 105 ILCS 5/10-20.81 | Illinois State Police | Districts serving grades 6 to 12 that issue student IDs print the Safe2Help number on them; Chicago Public Schools post its own hotline | Reports are confidential and exempt from FOIA; agencies may not reveal who made a report |
| Indiana | Guidance only. On October 2, 2026, the Governor announced a state anonymous tip line for K-12 schools, and school enrollment is optional. | Governor's announcement, Oct. 2, 2026 | Office of School Safety | Enrollment is optional | Announced as an anonymous tip line |
| Iowa | Guidance only. The state runs Safe+Sound Iowa, a free anonymous school threat reporting tool, and taking part is voluntary for schools. | State program; Iowa Admin. Code 661—91.17 names it in permit training | Governor's School Safety Bureau and Department of Public Safety | Voluntary; emergency plans must publish procedures for reporting threats; the law does not require them to be anonymous | Reporters are not asked to identify themselves |
| Kansas | Guidance only. The state Department of Education says the Kansas School Safety Hotline is available 24/7 for anonymous reporting of potential school violence. | KSDE program page (guidance) | Kansas Highway Patrol's Salina Central Dispatch | — | Hotline and Suspicious Activity Reporting tips can be anonymous |
| Kentucky | Required by law, on the state and districts: the Office of Homeland Security must offer an anonymous reporting tool, and each district must provide one. | KRS 158.4451 | Kentucky Office of Homeland Security (S.T.O.P. Tipline) | Use the state tool or an equivalent one; a district that picks its own must also run training on it | The tool must tell reporters they may report anonymously; a disclosed identity stays confidential |
| Louisiana | Required by law, for public school governing authorities: their threat-reporting procedures must include anonymous reporting that safeguards the reporter's identity. | La. R.S. 17:410(C) | Each governing authority; the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools may run systems | Set reporting procedures, including an automated voice option; explain them each year and post them online | The anonymous process must safeguard the reporter's identity |
| Maine | No law found. School board bullying procedures must allow anonymous reports, but that covers bullying only, not threats in general. | — | — | Allow anonymous bullying reports | Bullying reports only |
| Maryland | Required by law, on the state and districts: the Center for School Safety must run an anonymous reporting system, and from July 1, 2027 each local school system must take part. | Educ. § 7-1514 (2026 Md. Laws Ch. 648) | Maryland Center for School Safety (Safe Schools Maryland) | Take part from July 1, 2027, unless by then the system runs a substantially similar one open to the public | The system must keep the reporter anonymous; its records are closed under the Public Information Act |
| Massachusetts | No law found. The only anonymous-reporting duty found is for bullying: each school's bullying plan must let reports be made anonymously. | — | — | Keep a bullying plan that allows anonymous reports | Bullying reports only |
| Michigan | Required by law, on the state and to the extent funds are appropriated: the State Police must run OK2SAY, which must include a hotline open 24/7. | MCL 752.911 to 752.918 (Student Safety Act) | Michigan State Police | Give the State Police emergency contacts for at least one official, at least twice a year | Reports are confidential and FOIA-exempt; agencies may not share who made a report |
| Minnesota | Required by law, for districts and charter schools: boards must adopt a policy by June 30, 2027 and use a local or the statewide anonymous threat reporting system by July 1, 2028. | Minn. Stat. § 121A.0361 (Laws 2026, ch. 117) | The school's own system, or the Department of Public Safety's statewide system | Adopt the policy and notify parents every year; with a local system, also designate staff and post information online | Report data are confidential while a report is active |
| Mississippi | Required by law, on the state and only with funds specifically appropriated: the Department of Education must run a toll-free line for reports of suspected school violence. | Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-93(1)(d) | Mississippi Department of Education | None under this section | Not required by the statute; the Department says reports can be made without giving a name |
| Missouri | Required by law, for public schools: each must give students age-appropriate information and training on the Highway Patrol's Courage2ReportMO every year. | RSMo 170.315.6 | Missouri State Highway Patrol | Give yearly Courage2Report information and training, and foster an environment where students feel comfortable reporting threats | Highway Patrol says reporters can stay anonymous by not giving a name |
| Montana | Guidance only. The state education office notes only that some schools have set up anonymous reporting systems or tip lines, and sets no requirement. | OPI guidance | Montana Safe Schools Center, University of Montana, runs a tip line | — | — |
| Nebraska | Required by law, on the state: the Department of Education must run the Safe2HelpNE report line as a statewide anonymous reporting system. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-3104 | Nebraska Department of Education, with Boys Town | Joining is voluntary; a school that uses it needs a threat assessment team, which must assess each alert not referred to emergency services, law enforcement or child protective services | A caller's identity is confidential, except as law requires |
| Nevada | Required by law, on the state and schools: the state must run SafeVoice, and districts and charter schools must name a team at each school to receive its reports. | NRS 388.1455 to 388.1459 | Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment, with the Department of Public Safety | Appoint a team of at least three staff per school, print SafeVoice on ID cards and post it around the school | Reporters may stay anonymous unless Department policies require disclosure |
| New Hampshire | No law found. A 2018 Governor's task force recommended a confidential or anonymous tip line, but that is a recommendation, not law. | — | — | School employees report theft, destruction or violence in a safe school zone in writing to a supervisor | — |
| New Jersey | Guidance only. The Department of Law and Public Safety says the State Police's School Safety Hotline serves the same purpose as the anonymous reporting program a bill proposed. | State Police practice (guidance) | New Jersey State Police Communications Bureau | District bullying policies must allow anonymous reports | Anonymous bullying reports allowed |
| New Mexico | Guidance only. The school insurance authority offers member districts a fully funded STOPit anonymous reporting system, and the state plan template asks schools if they use one. | PED Safe School Plan Template, 2026-27 (guidance) | NM Public Schools Insurance Authority, with Lightspeed STOPit | Answer the template's anonymous-reporting questions and explain why if not using a system | Bullying policies must include a way to report anonymously |
| New York | Allowed by law. District safety plans must include strategies for reporting violent incidents, with anonymous reporting mechanisms listed only as an example. | N.Y. Educ. Law § 2801-a(2)(j); 8 NYCRR § 155.17(c)(1)(xvi) | Each district | Include reporting strategies in the district-wide safety plan | An example, not a requirement |
| North Carolina | Required by law, for public secondary schools and the state: each school must operate an anonymous tip line, and the Center for Safer Schools must keep a statewide app. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-105.51 | Center for Safer Schools, in the State Bureau of Investigation | Run the tip line, which may use the state app or another meeting DPI standards; tell students about the app and train staff | App data are not public records |
| North Dakota | No law found. District bullying policies must include procedures for anonymous reporting of bullying, which is narrower than a school safety tip line. | — | No school line; the Attorney General lists a general crime tip line | Adopt a bullying policy with anonymous reporting procedures | Bullying reports only |
| Ohio | Required by law, for school districts: each must register with the SaferOH tip line or contract with another anonymous reporting program that meets the law. | ORC 3313.6610 | Ohio Department of Public Safety | Register or contract, promote the line in each school and send tip data to the state each year | Tip data are security records, not public records |
| Oklahoma | Allowed by law. The Oklahoma School Security Institute may develop a system for reporting activity that may compromise school safety. | 74 O.S. § 51.2d(C) | Oklahoma School Security Institute, Office of Homeland Security | District bullying policies must let a person report bullying anonymously | The Institute takes anonymous texts 24 hours a day |
| Oregon | Required by law, on the state: the State Police must establish a statewide tip line for confidential reports of threats to student safety. | ORS 339.329; OAR 257-095 | Oregon State Police (SafeOregon) | Under State Police rules, keep contact lists and follow up on and close assigned tips | Reporters may identify themselves or stay anonymous; the line may not disclose a tipster's identity except as rules allow |
| Pennsylvania | Required by law, on the state and schools: the Attorney General administers Safe2Say Something, and each school entity must respond to its reports. | 24 P.S. § 13-1301-D et seq. (Act 44 of 2018) | Office of Attorney General | Set response procedures and give a final disposition within 30 days, or 48 hours for a life safety event | The program must keep a reporter's identity unknown, even to law enforcement |
| Rhode Island | Allowed by law. District school safety plans must include reporting strategies, with anonymous reporting mechanisms listed only as an example. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-21-24(a)(12) | Each district | Include reporting strategies in the safety plan; threat assessment teams name who receives threat reports | The statewide bullying policy allows anonymous bullying reports |
| South Carolina | Guidance only. The Department of Education's threat assessment guide says schools need several ways to report concerns, such as a tip line or app, and is not prescriptive. | SCDE threat assessment guide (guidance) | — | District bullying policies must include anonymous reporting | The guide suggests considering confidential or anonymous reporting |
| South Dakota | Guidance only. The Department of Public Safety runs Safe2Say South Dakota, a statewide tip line for reporting safety concerns anonymously. | Program pages (guidance) | Department of Public Safety, Office of Homeland Security | Program guidance recommends, but does not require, sending contact information | The program says reporters stay anonymous |
| Tennessee | Required by law, for districts: each must adopt a threat assessment team policy, and the teams must set up ways to report threatening behavior anonymously. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-2701 | Each district's threat assessment team; the state also runs the SafeTN app | Set anonymous reporting procedures and name who receives reports; notify parents within 48 hours of reporting a threat to police | Team documents are not open for public inspection |
| Texas | Required by law, for districts, and narrow: each board's bullying policy must let students report bullying anonymously. | Tex. Educ. Code §37.0832(c); §37.115; §37.220 | Each district; DPS operates iWatchTexas | Post the bullying reporting procedure online where practicable; keep threat team policies consistent with state models | iWatchTexas reports are confidential and exempt from public records |
| Utah | Required by law, on the state and LEAs: the Huntsman Mental Health Institute must run the SafeUT Crisis Line 24/7, and each LEA board must tell students, parents and staff about it. | Utah Code 53H-4-210; 53G-8-203 | Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah | Inform students, parents and staff; include SafeUT response procedures in discipline policies | The line takes anonymous reports of threats at or near a public school |
| Vermont | Guidance only. The Vermont School Safety Center runs a School Safety Anonymous Tip Line for students, staff and community members. | School Safety Center program page (guidance) | Vermont School Safety Center, Department of Public Safety | — | Takes anonymous tips |
| Virginia | Allowed by law. A local school board may develop a school crime line, a confidential, anonymous system for students to report unlawful acts to police. | Va. Code § 22.1-280.2 | The local school board, with police staffing the line | A board that has one must notify students and parents of its procedures every year | Defined as confidential and anonymous |
| Washington | Guidance only. The Attorney General launched HearMeWA in 2024 as a statewide youth safety reporting system; the 2026 budget struck its FY 2027 earmark. | AG program (guidance) | Office of the Attorney General | — | — |
| West Virginia | Guidance only. The Department of Education runs a 24-hour toll-free Safe Schools Helpline for all schools, and the Fusion Center lists a school-threat reporting system. | Agency program pages (guidance) | WV Department of Education; WV Fusion Center | — | Operators remind callers not to give identifying information |
| Wisconsin | Guidance only. The Department of Justice runs Speak Up, Speak Out, a free statewide threat tipline; the Office of School Safety's duties in statute do not mention a tip line. | DOJ program (guidance) | Wisconsin DOJ Office of School Safety | Asked, not required, to complete a disposition report after a tip is investigated | The program tells reporters their report is confidential |
| Wyoming | Required by law, on the state: the attorney general must establish a call center to take information on school and student safety issues. | W.S. 9-1-603(a)(ix) | Wyoming Attorney General (Safe2Tell Wyoming) | None set by the call-center statute | Reporters' identities must stay unknown to the extent possible; records are confidential |
"No law found" means we searched the official legislature, code and state agency sites and found no law or rule that creates a school tip line or requires schools to have one. It is not proof that none exists. "Guidance only" means a state agency runs or recommends a line without a law or rule requiring it.
Which states run a statewide tip line, and who operates it?
In several states the law puts the line on a state office. The attorney general administers Colorado's Safe2Tell and Pennsylvania's Safe2Say Something, and Wyoming's attorney general must establish a school safety call center. State police are in charge in Michigan (OK2SAY), Illinois (Safe2Help Illinois) and Oregon, where the State Police must establish a statewide tip line. Education agencies run it elsewhere: Nebraska's Department of Education must run Safe2HelpNE, Maryland's Center for School Safety must run an anonymous reporting system, and North Carolina's Center for Safer Schools must keep a statewide app. Utah gives the job to the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah, which must run the SafeUT Crisis Line. Some states run a line with no law requiring it. Iowa runs Safe+Sound Iowa, South Dakota runs Safe2Say South Dakota and Wisconsin's Department of Justice runs Speak Up, Speak Out.
What do schools have to do?
Publicize it. Florida district school boards must promote FortifyFL and make sure students are taught to use it within the first 5 days of each school year. Several states put the line on student ID cards: Colorado requires it on every public school student ID, Nevada on any ID card issued to students and staff, and Illinois on grade 6-12 IDs where districts issue them. Utah requires each LEA board to inform students, parents and staff about SafeUT, and Missouri requires public schools to give students information and training on Courage2ReportMO every year. Designate staff. Nevada requires a team of at least three staff at each public school to receive SafeVoice reports, and a Minnesota district or charter school with its own system must designate staff to receive and respond to reports. Michigan requires each school to give the State Police emergency contacts for at least one official who can receive hotline information at all times, at least twice a year. Respond. Pennsylvania schools must give a final disposition of each Safe2Say report within 30 days, or within 48 hours for a life safety event. In Nebraska, the threat assessment team that receives an alert must assess every one that is not referred to emergency services, law enforcement or child protective services.
How are tips routed and answered, and what hours?
Many statutes require round-the-clock service. Illinois and Michigan require their helplines to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, Georgia and Ohio require 24/7 operation. Routing rules vary. Colorado's program must "promptly forward" tips to law enforcement or school officials, and Kentucky's tips must go immediately to district administration and local law enforcement. In Nebraska, an immediate life-safety concern goes to emergency services before any threat assessment team, and in Michigan a tip suggesting a psychiatric emergency goes straight to the county mental health crisis line. Not every law sets hours. Florida's statute sets no 24/7 schedule or numeric response time for FortifyFL and says only that tips must be promptly forwarded.
Are tips anonymous and confidential?
It depends on the state. Colorado and Pennsylvania require their programs to keep a reporter's identity unknown to everyone, including law enforcement. Florida and Kentucky let a reporter choose to give their name, and the law enforcement and school officials who receive it must keep it confidential. Many states keep tip records out of public records requests, including Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio and Wyoming. Some laws are silent. Mississippi's statute creating its line says nothing about anonymity or confidentiality, and Georgia's anonymous reporting program law creates no confidentiality rule or public-records exemption for tips.
What about false reports and data reporting?
A few tip line laws set their own penalty. Knowingly making a false report to Pennsylvania's Safe2Say is a third-degree misdemeanor, and misusing Oregon's tip line is a Class A misdemeanor. Others allow unmasking. In Illinois and Michigan, a prosecutor who believes a tip was false may ask a court to disclose the report, including who made it, and Florida sends a false tipster's device IP address to law enforcement. Many tip line laws set no false-report penalty of their own, including Ohio's, Kentucky's, Maryland's and Nebraska's. Annual reports are common. Michigan's State Police must file one by July 31 and Pennsylvania's Attorney General by August 1. Michigan's must count tips forwarded to police and schools, and Pennsylvania's must give the program's total cost. Ohio districts must send yearly data on anonymous reports, including the discipline and mental wellness referrals that came from them.
State guides
Arkansas · Colorado · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maryland · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Nebraska · Nevada · North Carolina · Ohio · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Wyoming
How can QuickSecure help?
Each school gets its own anonymous tip line page. Students and families choose a category (bullying, weapons or threats, self-harm, vandalism, drugs or alcohol, other), describe what happened, and can add photos, video or a PDF.
Tips stay anonymous unless your school asks for contact details and the tipster chooses to share them.
QuickSecure gives each tip a risk score. Administrators get an email for every tip and a push notification for higher-risk tips, and the most urgent go to all staff as a critical alert.
Administrators track each tip from review to resolved and discuss it with other staff, and every step is logged. An archived tip downloads with its full timeline.
This is not a statement that any product satisfies a state's law; read your state's page and ask your counsel.