TEA School Safety & Crisis Management 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A front-office staff member gets a bomb threat by phone. What should they do?
- Hang up right away and call 911
- Keep the caller talking, write down details on a bomb threat checklist, and notify administration and law enforcement (Correct answer)
- Pull the fire alarm immediately to evacuate
- Search classrooms with a handheld radio to find the device
Correct answer: Keep the caller talking, write down details on a bomb threat checklist, and notify administration and law enforcement
Keeping the caller on the line and recording details (voice, background noise, timing) gives law enforcement critical information.
Question 2: Under the Standard Response Protocol used by many Texas districts, what does a 'Secure' (lockout) directive mean?
- Students hide in classrooms with lights off
- Everyone evacuates to the assembly area
- The building perimeter is secured because of an outside threat, and classes continue inside (Correct answer)
- Students move to interior hallways for severe weather
Correct answer: The building perimeter is secured because of an outside threat, and classes continue inside
Secure/lockout responds to a threat outside the building: the outer doors are locked while normal instruction continues inside.
Question 3: A chemical tanker overturns near campus and releases fumes. Which action best fits a hazmat shelter-in-place?
- Evacuate students to the football field
- Open windows to improve ventilation
- Bring students indoors, close windows and doors, and shut off the HVAC systems (Correct answer)
- Send students home by bus immediately
Correct answer: Bring students indoors, close windows and doors, and shut off the HVAC systems
For a hazmat release, sheltering indoors with air intake shut off keeps contaminated outside air from coming in.
Question 4: Which entity serves as Texas's central clearinghouse for school safety research, training, and audit reporting?
- The Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University (Correct answer)
- The Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab
- The State Board for Educator Certification
- The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Correct answer: The Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University
The Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University provides training and model policies and collects district safety audit results.
Question 5: During a tornado warning, where should staff move students?
- The gymnasium, because it has the most open space
- Interior hallways or rooms on the lowest floor, away from windows, in a duck-and-cover position (Correct answer)
- Outside to the parking lot, away from the building
- The cafeteria, because it has large exterior windows for visibility
Correct answer: Interior hallways or rooms on the lowest floor, away from windows, in a duck-and-cover position
Interior, lowest-floor spaces away from glass and wide-span roofs give the best protection from tornado debris.
Question 6: Which access-control practice best strengthens campus visitor management?
- Propping side doors open during passing periods
- Funneling all visitors through one monitored entrance, where they're screened against ID and sex-offender registry records and given badges (Correct answer)
- Allowing parents to enter freely if they know the teacher
- Checking visitor IDs only during special events
Correct answer: Funneling all visitors through one monitored entrance, where they're screened against ID and sex-offender registry records and given badges
A single controlled entry with ID screening and visible badges keeps unauthorized people out of the building.
Question 7: During a safety emergency, may a principal disclose a student's records to law enforcement without parental consent under FERPA?
- No, FERPA never permits disclosure without written consent
- Yes, under the health or safety emergency exception, to appropriate parties when needed to protect the health or safety of the student or others (Correct answer)
- Only if the student is over 18
- Only after a court subpoena is issued
Correct answer: Yes, under the health or safety emergency exception, to appropriate parties when needed to protect the health or safety of the student or others
FERPA's health or safety emergency exception allows disclosure to appropriate parties when knowing the information is needed to protect someone's health or safety.
