State News

Florida will require new FortifyFL app training to report school threats

Central Florida Public Media | By Danielle Prieur

Published November 25, 2024 at 8:42 AM EST

four children sit at a table in class typing on cell phones

The Florida Department of Education has put new rules in place aimed at reducing false school threats on the FortifyFL platform after hundreds of false threats this fall.

Students can use the platform, either through a website or app, to anonymously report a threat of school violence.

Speaking Of drawn speech bubbles with two drawn faces

New Local Program: 'Speaking Of' from WFSU Public Media

We’re all about “keeping it real, keeping it simple, and keeping it local.” We’ll dive into tough topics but also make sure to have some fun along the way.

By law, Florida schools are already required to teach students how to report a threat of school violence on FortifyFL.

But the commissioners voted to require all Florida schools to include the consequences of making a false threat in training for students on the platform’s use. Schools will also have to offer the same training to parents.
Orange County Schools Superintendent Maria Vazquez said these changes are crucial when it comes to curbing false threats, which she says are detrimental to everyone.

“Every threat is investigated, and as you can imagine, when you have a threat that is not true, that it's a joke, it does create anxiety. It creates a loss of time and resources, ” said Vazquez.

Vazquez said educating parents is a much-needed piece to ensuring compliance with these efforts.

“We know how hectic parenting is in life, but it's so critical that they know what their children are doing, what social media platforms they're on, and that they help them understand that making a false threat has very serious consequences,” said Vazquez.

Watch a video to learn how FortifyFL works:

Students who make false threats in Florida are subject to arrest and expulsion from their school district.

A pop-up has also been added to the FortifyFL site that warns students of these consequences before using the app to log a threat.

Under HB 1473, which was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis earlier this year, every student in Florida K-12 schools must receive training on how to use FortifyFL to alert authorities of potential school violence within the first five days of school.

If students transfer into Florida schools, they must also be provided with this training as part of their orientation into the program.

The move comes after hundreds of false threats were made at schools in Florida and across the country last fall following a shooting at a Georgia high school in September.