Pre-Conference | Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 10AM – 4PM

U.S. Secret Service Research, Analysis and Key Findings of Targeted and Averted School Violence

For over 25 years, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) has conducted research on the thinking and behaviors of those who commit acts of targeted school violence, in an effort to prevent future acts from occurring. Key findings from this research indicate that establishing multidisciplinary threat assessment teams and encouraging school communities to report concerning behaviors are critical steps in the prevention of targeted violence.

This presentation will highlight case studies, key findings, and recommendations from NTAC’s latest research reports examining targeted school violence and averted attacks at K-12 schools in the United States. It will also focus on how communities can use a multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment approach to identify and assess students exhibiting concerning or threatening behaviors and apply appropriate interventions to ensure safety and promote successful outcomes for the students.

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Safer Schools Together is committed to ending school violence by encouraging school districts to create positive, safe, and caring learning environments for every student, staff, and parent. Using best practices from the field of School Safety and Threat Assessment, SST assists teams in the early identification and intervention of individuals on the pathway to violence. We offer professional training for law enforcement agencies, school districts, and community partners. With comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies, SST provides School Safety and Threat Assessment Teams with the tools needed, to build capacity and sustainability. Our services are designed to ensure students, staff, schools, and communities have access to a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment, both online and offline.

Susan is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and worked as a Professor in School Psychology at Eastern Washington University (2005-2026). She has served in multiple leadership roles for WSASP, including president (2012-2014) and NASP Delegate (2019-2022). She led the WSASP writing team for the 2014 Professional Practice Guidelines for Evaluating Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) and was the lead author on the Using Response to Intervention for Evaluating SLD section of the guidelines.

Over the past two decades, Susan has supported RTI and MTSS at the state level. She completed the National Center for Response to Intervention (NCRTI) Train-the-Trainer in 2011 and served as one of four RTI Evaluators for the Improving Core Subject Instruction for all Students Pilot Project (HB 2136) and the Retooling Instruction through Response to Intervention, 2009-2012. She co-developed a state training manual with NEWESD 101, Using the NCRTI Integrity Rubric and Washington RTI Site Interview form to Evaluate and Assist Teams with Implementation (2012). Susan served on the OSPI Specific Learning Disabilities Cadre (2019-2021) and was a faculty member for the Washington Administrators Improving MTSS (AIMS) project. She served on the writing team for the OSPI 2024 revisions to guidelines for SLD identification.

In 2024-2025, Susan revised the 2012 Washington State semi-structured interview and facilitator’s guide to align with the American Institutes for Research (AIR, 2025) MTSS Fidelity of Implementation Rubric for school leadership teams to identify needs and priorities for improved MTSS implementation. Susan also provides PREPaRE crisis prevention and response training and served as the coordinator for EWU’s graduate certificate in Social and Emotional Learning for Educational Equity (SEL-EE).

The WA CASE Special Education Pre-Conference offers a focused, high-impact learning experience designed specifically for special education leaders. This session brings together state and district expertise to examine the intersection of policy, practice, and leadership. Participants will engage in timely discussions on federal and state guidance, navigate complex processes such as community complaints and due process, and deepen their understanding of special education finance. The pre-conference also provides opportunities for collaborative problem-solving through facilitated consultancy, allowing leaders to learn directly from real district challenges. Attendees will leave with practical strategies, clearer insights, and strengthened connections to support their work in leading effective and compliant special education systems.