 February 2026
Latest News
Six Years of Supporting School Safety
Since its launch in February 2020, SchoolSafety.gov has served as a comprehensive hub for K-12 school safety resources, guidance, and tools. Over the past year, SchoolSafety.gov has continued to meet the evolving needs of the K-12 community – launching a new section dedicated to youth substance use, providing prevention-related resources and tips for the back-to-school season, and publishing close to 100 new resources. Stay up-to-date on SchoolSafety.gov through Facebook and X or download this one-pager to learn more.
New FBI Campaign Outlines Ten Actions to Improve Cyber Resilience
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched Operation Winter SHIELD (Securing Homeland Infrastructure by Enhancing Layered Defense), a new campaign that highlights ten priority actions organizations, including schools, can take to protect against cyberattacks. The recommendations, which reflect insights from recent cybercrime investigations and commonly exploited vulnerabilities, serve as a practical roadmap for strengthening cyber resilience both now and in the future.
Online Safety During Spring Break
Extended time off from school can mean that kids and teens have more free time to spend on their devices. With spring break approaching, schools can take time now to share online safety best practices and resources with students. Know2Protect’s #DigitalBoundaries campaign offers information to help educators and families start the conversation about healthy and safe digital habits. K-12 teachers and staff can also find additional resources to prevent online child exploitation through SchoolSafety.gov.
Addressing the Connection Between Youth Substance Use and Mental Health
Students may use drugs and alcohol to cope with mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, and stress. To address the connection between youth substance use and mental health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the Free Mind campaign. Informed by youth, the campaign offers resources for students (ages 12-17), parents, caregivers, and educators to understand the link between substance use and mental health, risk factors that contribute to drug use, and strategies to prevent youth drug use and overdose.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Events, Webinars, and Conferences
Data Security Best Practices and Incident Response (February 18) – This webinar, hosted by the U.S. Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office and Privacy Technical Assistance Center, will provide training on current data security best practices for education data systems and lead participants through a simulated data breach.
Transparency and Vetting Educational Technology (February 25) – This webinar, hosted by the U.S. Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office and Privacy Technical Assistance Center, will highlight research on transparency and how to assess online educational technology for privacy protections.
Enhancing School Safety Using Behavioral Threat Assessment (March 18, May 20, July 15) – These virtual training events, hosted by the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center, will highlight key findings from research on school violence prevention and provide guidance on how schools can develop or improve existing violence prevention programs utilizing a behavioral threat assessment model.
Visit the SchoolSafety.gov Events Page for additional school safety webinars, conferences, and trainings.
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School Safety Resources
Cybersecurity Resources
No-Cost Cybersecurity Services and Tools
This webpage houses a database of no-cost cybersecurity services and tools from across the cyber community that are available to K-12 schools and districts to enhance their cybersecurity posture and capabilities.
Top 10 Cybersecurity Tips for Teachers
This infographic provides simple tips for increasing cybersecurity readiness, cyber-awareness, and strategies to help teachers and school administrators recognize and prevent cyber threats and protect student and staff privacy.
Child Exploitation Resources
The Com: Theft, Extortion, and Violence are a Rising Threat to Youth Online
This public service announcement provides information on an online threat group known as "The Com," whose members engage in criminal violations including swatting/hoax threats, extortion/sextortion of minors, violent crime, and various types of cybercrimes.
Understanding Youth Exploitation
This webpage includes information on different forms of youth exploitation, online safety tips, and ways to report suspected child exploitation.
Additional School Safety Resources
Bullying Prevention and Preparedness Modeling
This on-demand webinar covers best practices to reduce instances of bullying, involve school staff, and act on anonymous reporting system tips about bullying.
K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance
This toolkit helps K-12 schools and law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to assess and respond to anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media.
Prepping for a School Emergency
This resource outlines tips to help schools plan for emergencies by building partnerships, assessing community needs, developing plans, and conducting training and exercises.
Visit SchoolSafety.gov for additional K-12 school safety and security resources.
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If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future School Safety Community Bulletins, please contact us at SchoolSafety@cisa.dhs.gov.
SchoolSafety.gov Disclaimer
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of Education (ED), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) do not endorse any individual, enterprise, product, or service. DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS do not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described in this communication. DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any information outside of those respective Departments, and the opinions expressed in any of these materials do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS.
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