Published on: June 15, 2026
A Joint ATIXA and NABITA Tip of the Week by Tim Cason, M.Ed., and Lauren Starnes, J.D.
In the first part of this series, we outlined foundational considerations for K-12 and higher education practitioners involved in behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM), Behavioral Intervention Teams (BITs), and civil rights compliance (including Title IX and Title VI).
The next step is to translate that awareness into deliberate structures that reduce confusion, liability, and risk.
Why Structure is Necessary
K-12 and higher education systems approach discipline, parent/guardian involvement, reporting, privacy, and student support differently. Incidents involving sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment, or violence can trigger overlapping obligations across various regulations, including Title IX, Title VI, the Clery Act, and civil rights compliance. These situations may also involve mandated reporting, behavioral intervention, and threat assessment.
A Strong Structure is Key to Program Success
Effective incident and complaint response requires a coordinated, pre-planned approach. Tools like jurisdictional decision trees can help clarify who is responsible for leading the response based on factors such as location, control, affiliation, and an individual’s behaviors.
Educational institutions should establish clear communication channels that define who to consult, who holds decision-making authority, and how to coordinate across different systems. Thinking about these issues before they arise is the key to ensuring you don’t flounder when incidents inevitably arise. Using standardized, customizable communication templates and clear points of contact can also be helpful, saving time while ensuring the appropriate information reaches the correct audiences and stakeholders.
How Would You Address These Challenges?
Scenario #1: A minor in a dual enrollment program reports sexual misconduct involving individuals from both their high school and the college.
- Which institution has jurisdiction? Can both investigate, and how should responsibilities be divided? What can be shared between institutions? Who leads?
Scenario #2: A K-12 Title IX Coordinator informs a community college that a minor was assaulted on college grounds by another K-12 student in the program.
- Does the location trigger the college’s Title IX obligations? Should the college respond or defer to the K-12 school? If it defers, what liability remains? How are supportive measures coordinated?
Scenario #3: A high school principal reports that a student was cyberbullied by a college professor in an online course, and the incident was shared widely on social media.
- Who has the authority to respond? What obligations does the college have once the incident has been made public? What support coordination is needed between the BIT and other relevant processes?
Scenario #4: A collegiate high school student is referred to the campus BIT for exhaustion and emotional outbursts, but parental consent requirements limit access to services typically available to college students.
- What support can be provided? What can be shared with parents, and what requires student consent? How should care be coordinated? How should the institution coordinate with the high school?
Keep in mind that K-12 students are more likely to report incidents to their school officials rather than to higher education institutions, because they are more familiar with school staff and reporting systems, which may also be easier for younger students to navigate.
ATIXA and NABITA Can Help Reduce Risk
Schools do not need to solve these challenges on their own. ATIXA and NABITA offer direct experience working across dual enrollment programs in K-12 and higher education systems.
Custom consulting can help institutions to evaluate existing structures, identify gaps in policy or practice, and build coordinated processes that align across partners. This support is particularly valuable for institutions creating or expanding dual enrollment programs without an established framework.
Now It’s Time to Build
Managing dual enrollment programs effectively requires deliberate structure, evaluation, and partnership. ATIXA and NABITA can help you to create consistent, compliant systems that better support students and employees across learning environments.
Contact inquiry@tngconsulting.com today to learn more.