A Risk & Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) is a comprehensive evaluation of a school’s overall safety posture. It identifies strengths, weaknesses, and potential threats while providing practical, actionable recommendations to enhance the security of students, staff, and visitors.
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Risk & Vulnerability Assessment (RVA)
A Risk & Vulnerability Assessment is a systematic review of a school’s physical security, operational practices, and procedural safeguards. The assessment evaluates how effectively the school prevents, mitigates, responds to, and recovers from safety-related incidents. Target hardening and prevention are key concepts to strengthen your school’s safety climate.
Components of the Assessment
1. Outside Perimeter
- Fencing and controlled boundary access
- Parking lots and traffic flow
- Athletic fields and playgrounds
- Signage and visitor direction
- Landscaping and natural surveillance considerations
2. Exterior Security
- Surveillance camera placement and coverage
- Exterior lighting (day/night effectiveness)
- Alarm systems
- Door hardware and locking mechanisms
- Access points and entry monitoring
3. Interior Security
- Main office visibility and visitor screening
- Access control systems
- Classroom door security
- Interior camera coverage
- Hallway supervision and blind spots
- Safe areas and shelter locations
4. Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
- Bus loading/unloading protocols
- Parent pick-up/drop-off procedures
- Walker supervision
- Traffic management and separation of pedestrians and vehicles
- Staff assignment and accountability
5. Low-Level Lighting (After Hours Assessment)
- Nighttime visibility of entrances and parking areas
- Shadowed or concealed areas
- Emergency lighting functionality
- Camera performance in low-light conditions
6. Policies and Procedures
- Visitor management policies
- Emergency operations plan (EOP) review
- Crisis response protocols
- Lockdown, evacuation, and reunification procedures
- Staff training and drill documentation
- Communication systems and redundancy