Safety Assessment Providers
Summary of Requirements:
Every 5 years:
Schools must complete a school safety site assessment using a provider from ADE’s approved list (or any qualified provider selected by the school). *ADE does not endorse nor provide funding for specific vendors beyond the approved options listed; districts/charter holders are responsible for vetting any alternate provider’s qualifications. ARS 15-154.02.A.2
Definition: School Safety Assessment (SSA) and Threat and Vulnerability Assessment (TVA)
SSA and TVA are commonly used terms that refer to the same site-based assessment process. Both describe a systematic, multidisciplinary review of a school’s physical environment, operations, procedures, and conditions to identify threats, hazards, and vulnerabilities and to inform prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery planning.
Every 3 years:
ADE will conduct random school safety site assessments among participating districts and charter holders. ARS 15-154.02.C
The department of education shall compile a list of approved school safety assessment providers and shall make the list available to school districts and charter schools that participate in the school safety program established by section 15-154.
ADE’s Approved School Safety Assessment Providers:
The following providers are approved by the Arizona Department of Education to supply a qualified individual to physically conduct a school safety assessment at a school site:
Local Law Enforcement Agencies
ACTIC (Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center)
CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency)(Regional Assistance)
*Any qualified 3rd party vendor/provider as determined by the School District/Charter Holder. School Districts and Charter Holders are responsible for vetting 3rd party vendor/provider qualifications and will assume all financial obligations per their procurement policies.
How SSA/TVAs Inform Annual EOP Updates
Conducting the SSA/TVA provides current, campus‑specific risk information that can directly inform the required Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) maintained under Arizona’s Minimum Requirements for School EOPs, including the plan‑maintenance section, and the federal expectation that EOPs are reviewed and updated at least annually as living documents (see REMS EOP guidance/tools and NIMS preparedness cycle). —REMS SITE ASSESS® and CISA’s School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT)—to ensure EOP annexes, courses of action, and mitigation priorities reflect current threats, hazards, and conditions.
School safety teams may choose to conduct more frequent assessments using the following free federal tools:
