Crisis Detection and Response; A Sustainable, Accessible, Feasible, Effective (SAFE) Community and School Safety Planning

The need for better crisis prevention and intervention through detection and preparedness has been indicated by recent national trends, specifically in regards to online education settings. The goal of this study is to consider the perceptions of crisis frequency and readiness of online educators for such crises. Such research is necessary to create plans which effectively meet the needs of students in online settings for detection and response to crisis situations, which has become more evident with the recent global health pandemic. This survey study utilized data taken from participants to include perceptions of crisis frequency and preparedness in varied crisis areas. Preliminary results have suggested that the percentage of educators who feel “very prepared” is insufficient for adequate school safety preparedness. The quantity and quality of training necessary to equip educators in online settings deviated across various crisis events. Furthermore, a small number of educators reported having received any professional education relative to working with students in an online setting. Although several educators had received some form of training for some areas, their level of perceived preparedness was insufficient to guarantee safety from the many and varied crisis situations that are pertinent in online school settings today. Practical implications of this study have been a need for quantitatively and qualitatively greater crisis management planning and training for online school settings and the professional learning necessary to accomplish this goal. The purpose of this study is to assist efforts to formulate better school safety plans. Future research recommendations include a wider gathering of data from a larger scope of educational professionals throughout the nation