Questionnaire for School Safety Assessors
School safety assessors differ in scope, approach, experience, and areas of expertise. These questions are intended to help schools better understand how an assessor evaluates risk, approaches problem-solving, collaborates with other experts, and supports schools over time.
The explanations are designed to provide context for why each question matters and to help schools identify assessors whose approach aligns with their community’s needs. Because school safety is multifaceted, schools benefit from assessors who take a comprehensive approach or collaborate across disciplines when additional expertise is needed.
These questions are intended as a starting point and are not exhaustive; schools should tailor them based on the age, size, location, and needs of their community.
Sample Questions
How many schools have you worked with, and in what subject matter areas do you specialize?
School safety assessments can involve many areas of expertise, including facilities and infrastructure, emergency preparedness, physical security, cybersecurity, transportation, and social-emotional wellbeing. Because school safety spans multiple disciplines, schools may want to understand whether assessors take a comprehensive approach themselves or partner with other experts when needed.
How do you tailor your assessment strategies for different building types, campus configurations, or populations (e.g., elementary vs. high school)?
Strong assessments are tailored to many elements, including the age of the building, campus layout, location, and student population rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all process. This question can help schools understand how the assessor adapts their approach.
What does a typical assessment engagement look like from start to finish, including the timeline, touchpoints, and deliverables?
Schools should understand the full assessment process from the outset, including timelines, leadership involvement, interim touchpoints, and final deliverables. This question can also help clarify whether additional specialists may be brought in to evaluate specific risks or concerns.
Do you evaluate not only the existence of infrastructure, but also its physical condition and potential failure modes? If there are concerns, how do you address them?
An assessment should evaluate not only whether infrastructure exists, but also its condition, maintenance history, and potential failure risks. Schools may also want to understand how assessors distinguish between immediate hazards, longer-term concerns, and issues that should be monitored over time.
Can you share examples of assessments you've done at different types of organizations, for instance public, private, independent, and charter schools?
Reviewing sample redacted assessments, even when redacted, can help schools better understand the assessor’s process, scope of work, communication style, and final deliverables. It may also provide insight into how the assessor adapts their work across different educational settings.
Do you partner with any companies or organizations?
Some assessors have business relationships with companies that provide products or services related to school safety. Ask whether the assessor sells, installs, specifies, or otherwise benefits financially from any recommendations they make, and how those relationships are disclosed. Transparency about potential conflicts of interest can help ensure recommendations are based on safety needs rather than sales opportunities.
Who do you typically involve in the assessment process, such as facilities staff, school leadership, teachers, students, or families?
School communities often experience and identify safety concerns differently based on their roles and interactions with the campus. This question can help schools understand whether the assessment process includes a range of perspectives and operational expertise.
How do you prioritize findings and recommendations when presenting them to schools?
Assessments may identify a range of concerns that vary in urgency, complexity, and cost. This question can help schools understand how assessors communicate priorities, distinguish between immediate and longer-term concerns, and support decision-making after the assessment is complete.
What kind of follow-up or support do you provide after the assessment is complete?
If there are questions in the months after the assessment is completed, schools may want to know if the assessors are available to answer questions and what other resources or support might they have to offer during the years between full assessments.
Have any of your assessed facilities experienced a safety incident after your assessment? And if so, how did that inform your practice?
This question can provide insight into how an assessor evaluates and improves their work over time. Depending on the nature of the incident or legal considerations, there may be limits to the information that can be shared, but the response may still help schools understand the assessor’s approach to continuous learning and improvement.
