According to guidance issued jointly on September 25, 2026 by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), K-12 schools can better prepare for and protect themselves from swatting incidents by developing procedures and training to identify and respond to false threats. Swatting is identified as a “crisis” that causes significant disruption and trauma to school communities. Swatting also costs taxpayers millions of dollars in personnel and equipment, lost classroom time, and property damage.
The guidance recommends several steps that schools and colleges can take, including training their staff and educating their communities on typical characteristics of a swatting event so they can detect false threats sooner.
According to both agencies, all threats should be treated as credible when they are received.
To view the guidance document, click here.
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