Keeping Our Students Safe: Examining Perceptions of Crisis Frequency and Preparedness of Educators in a Statewide Online Charter School

National trends indicate a need for continued crisis interventions, specifically for online settings. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of crisis frequency and preparedness of online educators. This research is needed to provide guidelines for detecting and responding to crisis to meet the educational needs of students in a safe school setting, specifically with the 2020 health pandemic. The methodology utilized survey data from participants (n=143) to provide perceptions of frequency and preparedness in varied crisis areas. Findings noted that in the different areas of crisis, the percentage of educators who felt 'very prepared' were in need of improvement. Of these educators, indicated feeling 'very prepared' in the areas of neglect (45.8%), abuse (47.6%), suicidal ideations (53.1%), homicidal ideations (18.9%), unexpected death of a student (9.8%), unexpected death of a teacher (7.7%), natural disasters (18.9%), and terrorist threats (7.7%). These implications for practice suggest a need for crisis management planning and training for online settings and promotes the need for this plan to translate into professional learning that is purposeful, collaborative, and sustainable to ensure school safety. Recommendations for future research include gathering data on a wider scope from education professionals nationwide.