Safe Schools Assessment and Resource Bank
(SSARB)
The Montana Safe Schools Center is the creator of a unique, online, customizable, and nationally distributed school safety and climate tool known as the Safe Schools Assessment and Resource Bank (SSARB). In Montana alone, SSARB has been completed by over 60,000 parents, students and staff as of fall 2008.
Through Congressional support and grant funding, the Montana Safe Schools Center underwrites the cost of SSARB participation for Montana Schools. SSARB is also a requirement of schools participating in the Montana Office of Public Instruction's Montana Behavioral Initiative (MBI). Nationally, SSARB is distributed through Sopris West Educational Services.
What is SSARB?
When it comes to feeling safe at school, staff, students, and parents have differing opinions and experiences that are invaluable to helping school leaders make informed decisions. SSARB is a school-wide assessment and resource tool designed to alert school personnel to strengths and areas needing improvement in school safety and climate issues. SSARB survey questions are based on 32 key school safety and climate factors including:
- Academic engagement
- Cultural sensitivity
- Parent and community involvement
- School communication
- Crisis preparedness
- Drug and alcohol usage
- Bullying
How is SSARB unique?
SSARB is customizable to each school or district so administrators can develop and include questions specific to their unique issues.
Participants take the SSARB's easy-to-complete assessment in a secure online environment. Scores are then summarized and reported electronically to the password-authorized user. Graphic as well as narrative explanations of results are provided and administrators may compare their results to other schools (anonymity of other schools is preserved) across the district, state and nation.
SSARB results are also linked to an electronic library with hundreds of evidence-based resources proven to help improve school safety - all linked to the specific issues presented from the school's survey results.
The resources include programs, instructional materials, and Web sites to help school administrators and other staff immediately formulate action plans to improve safety and foster security in their schools.
How do I sign up?
For more information on SSARB, please email iers@mso.umt.edu or contact Mike Chagolla at Sopris West Educational Services, (800) 547-6747 x212