Department of Homeland Security (DHS) FY2021 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grantee Evaluation

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate contracted RTI International to conduct research and evaluation of the Teachers College, Columbia University (TC), FY2021 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) grant, aimed at increasing the capacity of educators to mitigate risks and amplify protective factors against targeted violence and radicalization in U.S. classrooms. The evaluation team conducted a process evaluation of all components of the grant project, with a focus on identifying project accomplishments, challenges, and recommendations for future grantees. The team reviewed training curricula and other materials provided by TC, observed two trainings in June 2023, and interviewed staff and project partners.

TC worked to develop a 10-course professional development training series for U.S. educators, titled Reimagine Resilience, based upon Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess’s Educational Displacement Theory. This theory states that isolation or exclusion in educational settings initiates the radicalization process and was developed after Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess studied Salafi radicals in Bosnia. As part of its grant, TC collected data from a convenience sample of educators and young adults about the prevalence of bias in U.S. schools to begin studying the relevance of Educational Displacement Theory in the United States.

TC launched one of these courses during the grant period of performance and delivered it in both an asynchronous online and hybrid format. In total, 363 individuals completed Course 1 online, with an unknown number of additional individuals completing it through a hybrid format. During the grant, this course was adapted for various audiences outside of the educational space, resulting in the delivery of 10 stakeholder workshops. Challenges emerged over the collection and reporting of data to capture grant activities against its priorities and the intensive staff resources needed to respond to added grant activities. TC plans to continue delivering trainings and workshops after the completion of the grant period, relying on its large network of educators and associated stakeholders built during the period of performance.