There were at least 3,380 threats against K-12 schools recorded in the 2017-18 school year, a 62 percent increase from threats in the 2016-17 school year, according to The Educator’s School Safety Network (ESSN). The increase in actual events is similarly alarming – the past school year included at least 279 incidents of violence compared to 131 in the 2016-17 school year – a 113-percent increase.

For ESSN’s research, a “threat” is defined as an expressed intent to do harm.