Districts Rated on Terrorism Preparations

But Poorly Graded Ones Criticize Methodology of the National Study

The Chicago and Detroit school systems have received failing grades in a report from a New York City-based nonprofit group on their preparedness to respond to possible acts of terrorism in or near their schools.

But officials from those districts challenged the methodology used in the report, released this month by the America Prepared Campaign. They said that the evaluations of their school emergency plans weren’t comprehensive—a point echoed by a leading expert on school safety.

School shootings and the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, spurred school leaders in many districts to develop or update detailed plans on how to respond to emergencies, including acts of terror. ( "As Alert Issued, Schools Urged to Review Security," ...