CSTAG training shifts staff knowledge and beliefs, improving threat-assessment accuracy and reducing support for zero-tolerance policies¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? After standard 1-day CSTAG trainings, school staff could more accurately assess threats, showed decreased support for zero-tolerance policies, and better understood threat assessment goals. → DePaoli 2025

Evidence¶

DePaoli 2025¶

DePaoli, J. L., & Loewe, S. B. (2025). Keeping schools safe? The research on behavioral threat assessments. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/808.437

q2 · i? · review · r3

The report's synthesis of CSTAG implementation studies finds that staff self-reported knowledge and perspectives changed positively after standard 1-day trainings: staff "could more accurately assess a threat" and showed decreased support for zero-tolerance policies. No effect sizes are printed.

"After school staff participated in their standard 1-day trainings, they could more accurately assess a threat, had decreased support for zero-tolerance policies, and had a better awareness of the goals of threat assessment"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Randomized studies, as reviewed, find that students who make threats in CSTAG schools more often receive counseling and less often long-term suspension or transfer, with the largest changes in higher-fidelity schools — related
• Schools using the CSTAG model show fewer disciplinary infractions, suspensions, expulsions, and law enforcement actions than schools using general threat assessment approaches — related
• Experts report reduced suspensions and expulsions and improved school climate as RJ implementation successes — related
• Exclusionary discipline harms students and disproportionately affects students of color, so tracking suspension data can promote positive interventions — related
• Experts attribute their focus on RJ in schools to the failure of zero-tolerance discipline, disciplinary disparities, school climate concerns, holistic community approaches, and connections to youth development models — related