Creating a safe learning environment starts with awareness and early reporting of concerning behaviors. That’s why the Iowa Governor’s School Safety Bureau developed Safe+Sound Iowa—an anonymous reporting tool for students, teachers, parents and community members to help identify and provide intervention for students in crisis before they harm themselves or others. Please see answers to the most common questions.
How Do I Report A Concern?
Monitored 24/7, Safe+Sound Iowa takes reports any time, any day of the year. The reporting process is simple and includes two-way communication with a live trained dispatcher:
- Fill out a brief, easy-to-follow form on SafeandSoundIowa.gov
- Use the Safe+Sound Iowa mobile app
- Call the Tip Line at 800-224-6018
What can I report?
The app focuses on school violence safety concerns including unlawful possession of guns and knives, assault, sexual assault, bodily injury, child abuse, drug trafficking/distribution, explosives, homicide, human trafficking, location of missing child, planned school attack, suicide threat and terrorism threat.
How do I know if Safe+Sound Iowa is offered in a school?
While Safe+Sound Iowa is available and free to K-12 schools statewide through their favorite app store, involvement is voluntary. To find out if a school is participating in Safe+Sound Iowa, contact a district superintendent, school principal or their administrative offices. Regardless of a district or school’s participation with the platform, individuals may always download and use the app, access the website or call the toll-free hotline at any time to report threats or concerning behavior. Those reports will still be sent to designated contacts at the affected schools and local law enforcement agencies.
When I make a report, how does Safe+Sound Iowa protect my anonymity?
When making a report, you will not be asked for your identifying information. Safe+Sound Iowa will only ask for information about the situation causing concern. If you want to include your name, it’s your choice.
If a concern is reported about a student, how is the student’s information protected?
Reporting information is kept confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Iowa open records laws. Threat report information is only shared with designated school staff and law enforcement with a right and need to know to address reported concerns.
Are parents or guardians notified when a report is made about their child?
No. Reports are anonymous, and all information is confidential. Depending on how local school and/or law enforcement determine it is best to respond and address the situation, a student’s parents or guardians may be notified.
Will I be updated on the status of my report and how it was resolved?
No. You can follow-up on the status, view replies or add information to a report—see step 7 under “How to Report” on page 6 in this document for instructions. However, because reports are anonymous and all information kept confidential, you will not be informed of how a situation was resolved.