Evaluation of a school-based emergency response and management project

After 9/11, the U.S. Department of Education has funded school districts to assess their readiness to respond to various types of crises. This report is about one multi-district region's experience with such a project, specifically on evaluation steps. The project was in rural Kentucky, with eleven school districts and 77 individual schools serving about 37,000 students. Evaluation steps included content analysis of existing emergency response plans developed previously by the districts. This “gaps analysis” served as the basis for upgrading and strengthening the plans. Next, there were on-site inspections to identify unique risks and hazards, either in the surrounding community(e.g. proximity to a chemical plant or a flood plain) or within the physical facilities of the buildings and grounds of schools. Next, there was an on-line assessment of personnel from the districts. Those with routine access to computers at school were invited to complete a school safety questionnaire; those not regularly using computers(e.g. bus drivers) were given the opportunity to complete a printed questionnaire. All together, 1864 persons completed the survey. A third of respondents reported feeling unsafe at school and a lack of training to deal with school crises and disasters. The final evaluation was a structured interview procedure with district superintendents, faculty, and community first responders, to evaluate perspectives on the success of the project and whether the district and community are better prepared for emergencies. Each evaluation strategy will be reviewed, with discussion of findings and limitations.