FAQs

General School Safety Survey Questions
Can I give this survey to a staff member to complete on my behalf?

The school survey should be completed by the principal of the school; however, if completion of the survey is delegated to other staff, the principal/superintendent will be held responsible for the reliability of the content submitted.



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Do I need to submit a copy of my survey responses to my division superintendent?

No, unless your superintendent specifically requires you to do so. The web-based survey system allows each superintendent to access surveys submitted by schools in their division. The superintendent will be able to view/modify their schools’ survey responses and print copies of these surveys for their files.



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What is considered a "school" for purposes of this survey?

A school, for purposes of the school safety survey, is any separate physical structure that houses and instructs public school students during the school day. Regional, alternative, governor’s schools, head start, and preschool facilities that are not physically part of another public school building are therefore considered a “school” and must complete a school safety survey, regardless of where the enrollment of its students is housed.



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Who has access to my completed survey?

Completed surveys are viewed only by the school's division superintendent and by VCSCS staff. However, interested persons can submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and ask to view the information. As an extra safeguard, principals can designate the security-related section of their survey as “exempt from FOIA requests” should an outside party request access to a school’s survey responses.



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Why does the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (VCSCS) at the Department of Criminal Justice Services collect information through the school safety survey?

Virginia Code Section § 22.1-279.8 requires each local school board to require all schools under its supervisory control to annually conduct school safety audits as defined in Code and according to lists established by the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety § 9.1-184. To see a list of items required in this year’s audit, visit the Virginia School Safety Audit Program homepage.

The VCSCS uses the school safety survey to collect information for the annual Virginia School Safety Survey Report which is made available to school safety practitioners, school division personnel, and legislators throughout the Commonwealth. The information is also used to assist the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (VCSCS) and the Department of Education in developing training and recommending policy to address emerging areas of school safety concern.



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Will my survey responses be protected from FOIA requests?

Responses to questions dealing specifically with the security of a school can be designated as protected information and exempted from FOIA requests. While completing the survey, you will see a section titled “School Security and Surveillance”.  Questions in this section are exempt from FOIA requests and the school division and the VCSCS will protect that information from release.  



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Taking the School Safety Survey Questions
Can I partially complete the survey, save it, and come back to finish it later?

Yes. At the bottom of each page, you will see a “Save and continue” button. This button will save your responses as you go.  Simply return to the survey later to complete it. 

Completing the school survey typically takes 20 - 30 minutes. You can reduce error and minimize the time it takes to complete the survey by utilizing the School Guidance Document or Division Guidance Document before starting the actual survey.



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Can I see the questions before I begin the survey?

Yes. The School Guidance Document and Division Guidance Document provide the opportunity to collect all necessary data prior to completing the online survey.  It is strongly recommended that all persons taking the survey utilize these guidance documents prior to beginning the actual survey.

Keep in mind, you won’t necessarily be asked all of the questions you see listed. Depending on how you respond to a certain question, you may or may not be prompted to respond to a follow-up question.



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How can I change my response to a question after I have completed the survey?

If you have completed the survey and reached the message that says “Thank you for taking the School Safety Survey,” your survey questions were submitted to our database and you can no longer change your responses. However, send us an email with any edits needed and we will happily make those corrections.

If you are still logged into the survey and have NOT reached the message that says “Thank you for taking the School Safety Survey,” then your survey questions have not yet been submitted. To change a previous response, use the “back” button on the survey page until you reach the question for which you would like to change your response. 



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How can I print a copy of my survey responses?

Information about how to print your survey responses is provided at the end of the survey. 

If you have already submitted and were unable to print/save your response summary, please email us to obtain a copy. 



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How do I know if my survey was received by VCSCS?

If you have completed the survey and reached the message that says “Thank you for taking the Virginia School Safety Survey,” your survey questions were successfully submitted to VCSCS.

Additionally, superintendents will have access to all completed school surveys within their division via the VCSCS secure website.  Please contact your division superintendent’s office if you need to confirm the successful submission of your survey responses.



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I entered the survey password but nothing happened -- the survey did not appear. What do I do now?

To take this survey your browser must accept “cookies” from our server.  If you continue to have trouble email us. 



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Is there a time limit on how long I can take to complete the survey?

Completing the school survey typically takes from 20 - 30 minutes. You can reduce error and minimize the time it takes to complete the survey by utilizing the guidance documents (School and Division) before starting the actual survey.

If you need additional assistance, please contact safetyaudit@dcjs.virginia.gov.



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What will happen if I fail to complete my survey by the due date?

Surveys not completed by the deadline will not be included in the annual Virginia school safety report. Superintendents of schools not completing the survey on time will be notified of non- compliant schools. A list of non-compliant schools may be published in the annual report.



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Who should I contact if I have technical problems with the survey?

For questions about the School Safety Survey or technical problems regarding the survey, please contact us at:

safetyaudit@dcjs.virginia.gov

Nikki Wilcox (804) 786-3923

James Christian (804) 357-0967



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School Safety Audit Questions
How is the Department of Education (DOE) involved in the school safety audit process?

The legislation concerning school safety audits changed in July 2005 giving total responsibility for the content and analysis of the school safety audit process to the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety. The Virginia Department of Education no longer has legislative oversight of this process. The School Safety Protocol Checklists published by VDOE in 1997 are no longer necessary and you do not have to send certification to VDOE on their completion.



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Should I conduct a building walk-through with my school safety team?

Yes.  The 2013 General Assembly passed legislation (HB 2346) mandating the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety to develop a school safety and vulnerability checklist for schools to use and mandated schools to conduct an annual walk through inspection using these checklists.  This tool is available here. The checklists will be required to be completed on a triennial basis with the first due date of August 31, 2014. View the Guidance for use of the School Safety Inspection Checklist here.

Your superintendent may designate other specific tasks to be completed in addition to the School Safety Survey.



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What is the difference between the school safety audit and the school safety survey?

The school safety audit definition is explained in Virginia Code § 22.1-279.8:

"School safety audit" means a written assessment of the safety conditions in each public school to (i) identify and, if necessary, develop solutions for physical safety concerns, including building security issues and (ii) identify and evaluate any patterns of student safety concerns occurring on school property or at school-sponsored events. Solutions and responses shall include recommendations for structural adjustments, changes in school safety procedures, and revisions to the school board's standards for student conduct.

The Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety is legislatively tasked with developing a standardized report format for submission of this information.  See Virginia Code Section § 9.1-184:

The Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety shall develop a list of items to be reviewed and evaluated in the school safety audits required by this section. Such items shall include those incidents reported to school authorities pursuant to § 22.1-279.3:1.

The Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety shall prescribe a standardized report format for school safety audits, additional reporting criteria, and procedures for report submission, which may include instructions for electronic submission.

At the present time, the standardized format for submission of safety audit data as prescribed by the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety is the Virginia School Safety Survey.  Any other “audit” processes that the division superintendent deem necessary can be collected and analyzed at the local level but need not be submitted to the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety.



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Legislative Questions
What does the school safety audit legislation say?

There are two primary Virginia Code cites that discuss school safety audit requirements. These are: § 22.1-279.8 School safety audits and school crisis and emergency management plans required; and § 9.1-184. Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety created; duties.



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What is required to comply with the law regarding annual school safety audits?

All school principals are required to complete the mandatory components of the school safety audit legislation as designated by the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety. The requirements include:

  • Completion of the  School Safety Audit review for their school (template available). 
  • Completion of the  School Safety Survey for their school. 
  • Completion of the School Safety Inspection Checklist for their school (every three years). 
  • Update the Crisis and Emergency Management Plan for their school. 
  • Completion of the Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions

All school superintendents are required to complete mandatory components of the school safety audit legislation as designated by the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety. These requirements include (By August 31)

  • Completion of the Division Safety Survey.
  • Ensuring the division’s school listed within the Survey Manager are up to date and complete.
  • Review of schools’ survey submissions, updated with any necessary modifications/corrections, and certification of accuracy of all completed surveys.
  • Certification that every school's crisis and emergency response plan has been reviewed and updated by the locality’s school board (annually), that the division-wide audit committee has reviewed all school safety audits and made recommendations to the School Board as needed (annually), and that all schools in the division have completed the school safety inspection checklist (every three years).


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