how to improve school safety essay

Home — Essay Samples — Education — Issues in Education — Importance Of School Safety

Importance of School Safety

• Categories: Issues in Education

About this sample

Words: 589 |

Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 589 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, 1. physical security measures, 2. emotional well-being, 3. positive school culture, 4. preventive measures.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Karlyna PhD

Verified writer

• Expert in: Education

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

4 pages / 1647 words

1 pages / 4306 words

1 pages / 537 words

1 pages / 588 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Issues in Education

Teachers’ Standards (2011) state that teachers should demonstrate an awareness of a child’s physical, social and intellectual development, while learning how to differentiate teaching to provide pupils’ with an education that is [...]

Rose, Mike. 'I Just Wanna Be Average.' Lives on the Boundary: A Moving Account of the Struggles and Achievements of America's Educationally Underprepared, The Free Press, 1989.

The debate over whether mobile phones should be banned in schools underscores the need for a nuanced and informed approach. While concerns about distractions and misuse are valid, the advantages of incorporating mobile phones [...]

College education has long been a topic of debate, particularly regarding its accessibility and affordability. In recent years, the cost of college education has risen significantly, leading to a growing concern about the [...]

It is a necessary ethnical appropriate and a primary leader concerning human then financial improvement on someone u . s . . it no longer only strengthens personal honor but additionally shapes the society between who we live. [...]

The severity of poor education in third world countries are so vital because millions of uneducated children don't have any or little education to exceed in life and help them open their eyes to their true potential. [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

How to Strengthen the Safety and Security of Your School

• Share article

The school shooting in Perry, Iowa , this month and the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine , in October that left 18 dead drives home the grim reality that gun violence can infiltrate any corner of our society. For those of us entrusted with the safety of our students, these tragedies underscore the urgent need to reinforce and rethink our schools’ protective measures. To assist students and educators confronting this reality, we want to offer resources to ensure that students nationwide can pursue their studies and school activities in safe, welcoming, and supportive environments.

According to a survey by the National Association of Secondary School Principals , only 53 percent of students in grades 8-12 say their school is “extremely” or “very” safe, with both school leaders and students citing ongoing concerns around such potential threats as online and in-person bullying, drug use, gun violence, and more.

As leaders who engage with and serve as a resource for school administrators and personnel on important school safety matters and their impact on school environments, we recognize and understand this concern firsthand. To help connect our nation’s dedicated school leaders with helpful resources, guidance, and evidence-based best practices that can meaningfully strengthen the safety and security of their school this year and beyond, we offer the following guidance:

1. Plan for emergencies early and often and listen to all voices in your school community.

Although incidents like school shootings are rare, it is important to plan and prepare for a crisis. School leaders, including principals and assistant principals, play a critical role in emergency planning. In addition to managing school operations, school leaders provide essential services and supports, which can improve overall preparedness, while also serving as trusted sources for members of the school community to speak with and confidentially report potential concerns.

During the development and subsequent updates of safety processes, it is important for school leaders to create intentional spaces for both students and staff to have their voices heard. One initiative developed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to foster opportunities for student engagement is “Kefford’s Kitchen” (as in co-author and Principal Michelle Kefford), where students can join her for lunch. During this conversation, students can make suggestions and ask questions (even anonymously at another time) across a range of topics that are top of mind for them. Similarly, “Mid-Week Muffins with Michelle” is open to staff so they can offer their opinions and feedback to school administrators to help refine safety planning.

Throughout the year, school leaders can take a proactive approach to emergency planning and help ensure the entire school community is as prepared as possible for potential incidents. Consider carving out time to review your emergency-operations plans (EOP) and practicing key elements. Practice may include holding tabletop exercises to test specific procedures or conducting developmentally appropriate drills so all members of the school community can run through the actions they would take before, during, and after an emergency. It is critical that schools collaborate with their community partners—local emergency-management staff, law enforcement and other first responders, and public and mental health officials—during the school safety planning process and throughout the year. These partners can provide school leaders with essential expertise and guidance to ensure that the school EOP is integrated with community efforts.

An equally important but sometimes overlooked element of emergency planning is to map out how your school will recover if an incident does occur, along with the actions the school will take to support the academic, physical, fiscal, and emotional recovery of the education community. Created by current and former school leaders who have experienced gun-violence tragedies at their schools, the Guide to Recovery from the NASSP Principal Recovery Network identifies some of the issues schools commonly face when recuperating from a traumatic event. These include identifying financial resources available to assist with recovery, connecting the community with mental health personnel, responding to offers of assistance from the community, supporting the reopening of a school, and attending to the ongoing needs of students and staff.

2. Keep track of relevant school safety resources and evidence-based best practices.

Although there are extensive resources available that address school safety, it can sometimes be overwhelming to find and easily leverage this information in a well-organized and meaningful way. Schools have individual needs and unique characteristics that require thoughtful consideration and reflection. To help provide schools with direct access to relevant, timely, and useful school safety information that can help before, during, and after a potential emergency, the federal government created SchoolSafety.gov . Through this site, school leaders can utilize tools to prioritize school safety actions, find applicable resources on a range of important school safety topics, find expertise and connect with school safety officials specific to their state, and develop school safety plans that meet unique school needs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security created the Prevention Resource Finder to help the full range of education stakeholders identify resources, training, research, grant funding, and other opportunities.

3. Provide leaders with access to grants and funding opportunities to financially support school safety efforts.

Because schools and districts often require additional funding to support and implement various school safety measures and initiatives, it’s important to remember that the process to locate and secure necessary funding oftentimes requires year-round attention and effort. To help schools more easily identify, plan for, and apply for applicable funding opportunities that can help keep their school community safe, SchoolSafety.gov provides a comprehensive Grants Finder Tool featuring federally available school safety grants. While it can’t solve the entire grants-management process, the tool can help school leaders navigate at least part of the financial pathway.

If a tragedy occurs at a school, no matter where it is located, we all feel the impact and want to do everything we can to prevent it from happening again. Creating a safe and supportive school environment is a common goal shared by everyone in the community—our children, educators, and dedicated school staff deserve it. In preparation for the worst-case scenario, take some time to think through your school’s current approach to school safety. By sharing these resources and recommended practices, we hope to help school leaders feel ready and empowered to address school safety throughout the year.

The United States government, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), does not endorse any non-federal entity (NFE), commercial product, process, or service. Any reference to specific NFEs, commercial products, processes, or services by name, service mark, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise, does not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. government, CISA, or DHS. CISA does not attest to or guarantee the accuracy of any non-federal websites or the information they contain. Reference to any specific commercial product, practice, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and is intended to educate the public on relevant topics in this field.

How to Submit

A version of this article appeared in the February 07, 2024 edition of Education Week as How to Strengthen the Safety And Security of Your School

Sign Up for The Savvy Principal

Edweek top school jobs.

Sign Up & Sign In

Essay on Safety in School

Students are often asked to write an essay on Safety in School in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Safety in School

Importance of safety.

Safety in school is crucial. It ensures a secure environment for students to learn and grow.

Physical Safety

Physical safety includes maintaining a clean and hazard-free environment. Regular checks of school premises prevent accidents.

Emotional Safety

A supportive environment helps students express themselves without fear. It encourages positive interactions and respect.

Online Safety

With digital learning, online safety is vital. It includes protecting personal information and avoiding harmful content.

Role of Everyone

250 words essay on safety in school, introduction.

Safety in schools is paramount to foster an environment conducive to learning and development. Safeguarding the physical and emotional well-being of students is a collective responsibility involving educators, parents, and the students themselves.

Physical safety in schools involves ensuring that the premises are secure and free from hazards. This includes regular inspections of school buildings and facilities, implementing fire safety measures, and ensuring safe food handling practices. Moreover, schools should have an effective emergency response plan in place for situations such as natural disasters or violent incidents.

Emotional safety is equally important in cultivating a nurturing learning environment. This includes implementing policies against bullying and harassment, promoting inclusivity, and providing mental health support. Schools should foster a culture of respect and empathy, where students feel safe to express themselves without fear of judgement or ridicule.

Role of Technology

Advancements in technology can play a significant role in enhancing safety in schools. Surveillance systems, access control measures, and digital platforms for reporting concerns can help maintain a secure environment. Additionally, online platforms can provide resources for mental health support and promote positive interactions among students.

In conclusion, safety in schools is a multifaceted issue that requires ongoing attention and effort. It is essential to strike a balance between physical and emotional safety, and to leverage technology to enhance these efforts. By doing so, schools can ensure that they provide a safe and supportive environment where students can thrive.

500 Words Essay on Safety in School

The importance of safety in schools.

A safe learning environment is a fundamental right of every student. It directly impacts their academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being. A secure environment instills a sense of belonging, making students feel comfortable and confident in expressing themselves. It also encourages regular attendance, as students are more likely to engage in learning when they feel safe.

Physical safety in schools encompasses several aspects. Firstly, school buildings should adhere to safety standards to prevent accidents. Regular maintenance checks of infrastructure, including classrooms, laboratories, and playgrounds, are essential. Secondly, schools must have plans in place for emergencies like fires, natural disasters, or health crises. Regular drills can ensure students and staff are well-prepared for such situations. Lastly, schools should emphasize the importance of personal safety and hygiene, especially in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emotional and Psychological Safety

The digital age has brought with it new safety concerns. With the increasing use of technology in education, online safety has become a critical issue. Schools need to educate students about responsible digital citizenship, including the risks of sharing personal information online, the potential for cyberbullying, and the importance of reporting inappropriate online behavior.

Role of Stakeholders

Ensuring safety in schools is a collective responsibility. Administrators need to establish clear safety protocols and invest in necessary infrastructure upgrades. Teachers play a critical role in creating a respectful classroom environment and implementing safety guidelines. Parents must reinforce these safety measures at home and keep open lines of communication with the school. Lastly, students themselves play a vital role in adhering to safety norms and reporting any breaches.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Center for American Progress

How To Make Schools Safer Without Additional Physical Security Measures

The newly enacted Bipartisan Safer Communities Act can help schools and districts create safer learning environments without resorting to implementing measures that harden schools.

Advancing Racial Equity and Justice, Biden Administration, Education, Education, K-12, Gun Violence Prevention, Mental Health +3 More

Media Contact

Mishka espey.

Senior Manager, Media Relations

[email protected]

Government Affairs

Madeline shepherd.

Director, Federal Affairs

Part of a Series

Sensible Solutions To Prevent Gun Violence in the U.S.

In this article.

Introduction and summary

On June 25, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) into law, spurred in part by the tragic mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, one month prior. 1  After years of failed attempts to pass gun safety reform measures, this law finally broke through the decadeslong stalemate on gun violence prevention to advance an agenda that grapples with the many facets of this national crisis, including a particular focus on the youth mental health issues plaguing the United States.

In addition to imposing gun safety measures, the BSCA addresses some of the root causes of school violence, particularly the need to improve school climate. Importantly, the law authorizes and appropriates funding for schools and districts to use for mental health services, out-of-school programs, and community-based supports rather than for “hardening” schools by, for example, adding metal detectors, access control devices, and armed security. In fact, the BSCA explicitly prohibits using funding to arm teachers or other school staff.

Stay informed on K-12 Education Policy

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The law provides $1.24 billion to expand access to school-based mental health services and $50 million to help schools more easily bill Medicaid for those services. It also includes additional funding for two funding streams in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965: $1 billion for Title IV Part A to improve school health and safety and $50 million for Title IV Part B to improve access to out-of-school programming. Both funding streams can be used to support a variety of school- and community-based programs that align with the goals of the BSCA, giving states and districts significant flexibility in determining how to best use the funds in their communities.

Two specific ways that these funds can be used to improve the safety and climate of public schools include:

• Expanding access to school-based mental health services
• Investing in out-of-school and after-school learning opportunities

The BSCA is an important first step in addressing gun violence and holistically improving school safety. By directing substantial funding to addressing students’ mental health needs and improving access to out-of-school programs rather than to hardening schools, the law contributes to safer and more supportive school environments.

Safe schools support students’ emotional and mental well-being

School shootings and other forms of school-based violence are a paramount concern for students, parents, educators, and community members who are increasingly focused on how to improve the physical and emotional safety of schools. This focus on school safety has led to calls to “harden” schools through implementing visible physical security measures, such as adding metal detectors, employing school-based police, and even arming teachers. 2 However, research finds that these efforts are ineffective and can decrease students’ sense of safety. 3

Hardening schools also can be particularly harmful for students of color, students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ students, and other marginalized students. 4 In fact, studies show that increased investments in school policing, metal detectors, and surveillance technology disproportionately affect students who are Black, Indigenous, or other people of color and can lead to increased suspensions, expulsions, and interactions with law enforcement that disrupt student learning. 5

Instead of resorting to measures to harden schools, state and local leaders should prioritize creating physically and emotionally safe schools for all students. They can use the recently appropriated Bipartisan Safer Communities Act funding to holistically support the physical and mental health of communities and schools both inside and outside of the classroom, with a focus on developing solution-oriented options that create safer schools without infringing on students’ civil rights or disproportionately harming students with disabilities, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and students of color.

The COVID-19 pandemic, increased gun violence, and other sources of communitywide trauma have accelerated the country’s youth mental health crisis. In late 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health, 6 and the U.S. surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, released an advisory on youth mental health to raise awareness of the challenges youth are currently facing as well as opportunities to better support them. 7  Contrary to the dominant narrative, students do not become violent simply because they have mental health issues; research shows that the relationship between mental health and violence is complex and that the presence of a mental illness does not automatically predispose a person to violent behavior. 8 This harmful narrative can create a stigma around mental health diagnoses and treatment.

Ultimately, addressing the epidemic of gun violence and school shootings in the United States will require reducing both the presence of guns in communities and young people’s access to them. 9 This is especially important as firearms have become the leading cause of death among children and adolescents across the country. 10 Until policymakers pass additional meaningful legislation to reduce access to guns, gun violence will unfortunately continue to be a problem with traumatic implications for children, youth, and communities. In the interim, however, it is imperative to also create safe and supportive school environments by prioritizing robust investments and smart implementation of policies that improve school climate. As states and districts receive funding through the BSCA, they can use these dollars to create safe, healthy, and supportive school environments by expanding access to school-based mental health services and investing in out-of-school and after-school learning opportunities.

Expanding access to school-based mental health providers

The increase in youth mental health needs has made access to mental health care even more important for students’ well-being and success in school. 11 Research reveals school-based mental health services are a critical point of access to mental health care for students, 12 particularly students of color, students from low-income families, and students with public insurance. 13

Schools have insufficient access to mental health providers

Currently, 38 states and Washington, D.C., require schools or districts to provide counseling services to students. Twenty-one states and Washington, D.C., require school-based or school-linked mental health services for students. 14 Yet, too many schools do not provide adequate access to school-based mental health providers such as school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. In fact, 14 million students attend schools staffed with law enforcement personnel but no counselors, nurses, psychologists, or social workers. Moreover, schools with majority-Black student populations are more likely than those with majority-white student populations to have more security staff than mental health providers. 15

In addition, schools are woefully understaffed, based on provider-to-student ratios recommended by professional associations for school-based mental health providers—ratios that are seen as the baseline to ensure comprehensive high-quality services for students. In reality, most states do not meet the recommended ratios. In the 2019–2020 federal Indicators of School Crime and Safety survey by the National Center for Education Statistics, schools identified inadequate funding and inadequate access to mental health professionals as the two most common factors limiting the provision of mental health services for students. 16

Funding opportunities in the BSCA

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act includes several grant opportunities to help improve access to mental health services in schools. The following four grant programs are exclusively intended to improve mental health access.

Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) : The BSCA appropriates $240 million over four years for Project AWARE, including $28 million specifically focused on trauma. Schools and districts can use the grants to improve students’ awareness of mental health issues, improve access to school- and community-based mental health services, and train school staff on responding to trauma and mental health needs. The grant program, which is run through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, funds partnerships between state education and mental health agencies to support local education agencies.

Recipients can use Project AWARE funds to implement a wide variety of evidence-based practices that best serve students in various local education agencies, including hiring more clinical staff to improve provider-to-student ratios. For example, New Hampshire expanded the implementation of its multitiered behavioral health prevention framework to additional districts, with a focus on supporting integrated school and community mental health. 17 In Michigan, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe is collaborating with cultural healers to help students connect with their identities, which can improve student outcomes and increases resilience. 18 The Tribe is also using grant money to hire additional school mental health providers and train educators, school staff, and community members on trauma-informed practices and mental health first aid. 19

Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration (MHSP): 20 The BSCA appropriates $500 million over five years for the MHSP program. Run through the Department of Education, this program focuses on increasing the pipeline of properly trained and fully credentialed school mental health professionals by supporting partnerships between institutions of higher education and high-need local educational agencies. To increase the quantity and quality of school-based mental health services, the MHSP program helps high-need schools hire supervised graduate students who are training to be mental health providers and supports increased training and professional development of existing school staff. Graduate students complete clinical hours in these schools and may have opportunities to be hired by the district after graduating. In Arizona, for example, the Peoria Unified School District is partnering with Arizona State University’s School of Social Work to create a social emotional learning program embedded in a multitiered system of support (MTSS). 21 Social work interns placed in schools help to meet the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students that are beyond the scope of a classroom teacher.

School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH): 22 The BSCA appropriates $500 million over five years for the SBMH grant program, which is also run through the Department of Education. The program aims to increase the number of qualified mental health professionals providing school-based services in high-need districts. Funding helps improve recruitment and retention by providing incentives such as student loan payment, licensing reciprocity across states, higher pay, and mentorship programs. Unlike the MHSP program, recipients can also use SBMH grants to help retrain nonstudent and nonschool-based mental health providers so they may obtain a credential to provide services in a school setting. For example, Wisconsin is using funds to increase access to diverse school-based mental health providers in high-need districts by lowering barriers to recruitment of school-based providers and through the re-specialization of existing community-based mental health providers. The program will fund partnerships between districts and school counseling, psychology, and social work programs at state institutions of higher education. 23

Medicaid billing improvements grants: The BSCA funding includes $50 million to address the issue of billing—a common barrier to providing high-quality, school-based health services. The money will flow through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, which will award grants to states to make school-based services more accessible by improving the administrative and systematic processes for billing Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In practice, schools would cover the cost of clinical mental health services and bill Medicaid or CHIP for services provided to Medicaid-eligible students. This would help to ease the administrative burdens of the billing process for schools and allow more schools and districts to provide school-based services to all students.

Opportunities to support a range of student needs

In most schools and districts, school mental health providers already bear many responsibilities. At any given time, students have a range of mental health needs that require different levels of school-based supports and services. When community violence or other community trauma occurs, individual students can experience a variety of responses. However, due to the significant workforce shortages, many school mental health professionals are forced to practice within a very limited role, leaving many students without access to services. For example, in districts with inadequate ratios of school psychologists to students, these professionals spend most of their time on special education evaluations and services to ensure that students with disabilities have access to the free appropriate public education they are entitled to under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 24 These providers utilize their expertise to support students with disabilities and ensure that they receive an accurate diagnosis, appropriate services, and a high-quality education in the least restrictive environment. However, to meet the full range of students’ mental health needs, all students must have access to critical preventive mental health awareness, early intervention, and other mental and behavioral health supports they need to be successful. This is only possible when schools have sufficient financial resources to hire and retain a complete staff of mental health professionals and are supported by ongoing efforts to ensure a robust and diverse pipeline of school mental health providers.

Multitiered systems of support are a best practice for meeting the full range of students’ social, emotional, and mental health needs. 25 School leaders, school-based mental health providers, and teachers all have roles to play in implementing MTSS in schools, although school counselors, psychologists, and social workers are uniquely qualified to lead and facilitate key pieces of implementation. Schools that use MTSS offer the following three tiers of support services according to need:

• Tier 1 (universal) supports are provided to all students with the goal of establishing prevention activities and creating a positive environment. These may include mental health promotion, bullying prevention, social emotional learning supports, and building a positive school climate.
• Tier 2 (targeted) supports are provided to small numbers of students with demonstrated need for early intervention or support services, such as group counseling.
• Tier 3 (intensive) supports are provided to a few students who have the greatest needs for individualized supports, such as individual counseling and referrals to external partners.

Qualified school mental health providers should provide or oversee all services, although teachers often play an important role in delivering some Tier 1 supports in the classroom. In comparison, Tier 2 and 3 services are designed to be delivered by trained mental health providers. However, when schools do not have adequate ratios of school psychologists, counselors, or social workers on staff, their capacity to provide a full range of services to growing numbers of students is limited. In those cases, often only students in crisis or who need services as part of their Individualized Education Program can receive the full range of supports.

While teachers are eager to meet their students’ needs and help them thrive, the pandemic has amplified their responsibilities and increased the demands on their time. 26 Ensuring that schools provide equitable access to psychologists, social workers, and counselors allows teachers to focus on student learning and enables full-time, school-based mental health providers to support in-class, universal mental health promotion activities for all students.

Although funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will not allow all schools to hire full-time mental health providers, the substantial grant funding included in the law will help many states and districts increase their capacity for school-based mental health services by growing the pipeline of school-based mental health providers and training staff on supporting students’ mental health. In addition, the BSCA will make it easier for schools to bill Medicaid for mental health services.

The BSCA makes critical investments in 21st Century Community Learning Centers

In-school and after-school settings provide an opportunity to meet children and youth where they are and offer mental health services and referrals. In addition to resources for more mental health providers and staff support in schools, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act also includes funding that goes directly toward evidence-based programming and practices outside of schools that can help improve school climate.

The BSCA contains $1 billion in new funding for Title IV-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and an additional $50 million in appropriations for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLCs) program. 27 While recipients can use funding for Title IV-A of the ESEA for a variety of initiatives to improve school climate, the new funding for the CCLCs specifically supports out-of-school learning time, such as afterschool, before-school, and summer learning experiences for students and communities. 28 A variety of stakeholders can access funding for CCLCs, including community-based organizations, nonprofits, faith-based initiatives, state afterschool networks, and local education agencies. The bill also contains specific language that the new funds for CCLCs should focus on programs that serve middle- and high-school students. 29

Southeast Asian Young Men’s Group: An out-of-school learning program

Twenty-first Century Community Learning Centers funding can support a broad range of effective programming both inside and outside of the classroom and can be particularly impactful for communities with limited resources or students who are at risk of becoming disconnected from the school system. For example, the Southeast Asian Young Men’s Group (SEAYM) based in Seattle supports high school- and middle school-aged Southeast Asian young men—including Cambodian, Cham, Filipino, Hmong, Lao, Khmu, Mien, and Vietnamese—from refugee and immigrant families. 30 The program utilizes project-based learning by assigning students to create and edit their own documentary films. For example, five program participants who are all children of Lao refugees created the film “Across the Mekong,” in which they interview their family members about their experiences as refugees and draw connections to their own challenges and successes growing up in the United States. 31 Other projects have addressed personal challenges such as substance use and recovery, historical trauma, dismantling the model minority myth, and the effect of generational differences on parental relationships. Several SEAYM participants said they found the program helpful in developing deeper connections with their identity and community and noted that they found the program to be cathartic, self-validating, and empowering. 32

Benefits of out-of-school learning programs

Afterschool programs and other out-of-school learning experiences are supported by an extensive body of research demonstrating that student participation in these programs is linked with an increase in academic achievement metrics and healthy life choices as well as a decrease in risky and problematic behaviors. 33 These programs also save money for the communities where they operate—estimates show that for every $1 invested in afterschool programs, there is a $3 reduction in future costs by reducing crime and juvenile delinquency, improving student performance at school, and increasing children’s future earning potential. 34

Afterschool programs are particularly effective in cultivating protective factors for adolescent youth—meaning that they encourage healthy behaviors and social development. 35 There are two primary ways by which programs can foster protective factors for middle- and high-school aged students. The first is by offering protective support at a community level. Participating in afterschool programs gives young adults access to adult mentors and peers in a safe and supportive environment during the hours outside the school day when they might otherwise be unsupervised. Sustained afterschool programming helps young people to develop enduring positive relationships with caring adult mentors who can help them realize their potential through support, advice, encouragement, and friendship. 36

Secondly, afterschool programs help develop protective factors among young people at the individual level that positively promote their health and well-being, including positive self-concept, self-regulation, problem-solving and decision-making, interpersonal skills, and belonging and connectedness. 37 In an evaluation of 21st CCLC programs in Wisconsin, one study found that participating students experienced a host of improvements in school behavior, including being more attentive in class, having better attendance, coming to school more motivated to learn, and getting along better with others. 38

The Afterschool Alliance, a national nonprofit organization that works with afterschool networks in all 50 states, provides resources and conducts research on how to increase the effectiveness of afterschool programs across the country. 39 Erik Peterson, the senior vice president of policy at the Afterschool Alliance, has noted that one reason that afterschool programs are effective is because they are “intentional, deliberate, and continuous” in their programming, so that students get prolonged exposure to the resources they need. 40 He also noted that “partnerships allow many licensed social workers, psychologists, and mental health professionals to be available at afterschool programs,” which provides students and families access to services and supports that complement what they receive at their local schools. 41

Improving access and equity in afterschool programming

Despite their effectiveness, afterschool programs and other out-of-school learning opportunities still do not reach nearly enough students and communities who need them. These barriers in access and availability have been exacerbated by the pandemic, with a recent survey of 1,000 program providers across the country indicating that 54 percent had waiting lists—a significant jump from pre-pandemic rates. 42

Recent reporting estimates that for every child enrolled in an afterschool program, there are three children on a waiting list to access programming—representing approximately 25 million children who are unable to access afterschool programs. 43 This lack of access disproportionately affects students from low-income families, particularly Black and Latino students from low-income families. 44 Many of the reasons families face barriers to enrollment for out-of-school learning time include accessibility, costs, and transportation. 45 Another entangled problem is that the lack of availability and access to afterschool programs limits the ability of women to fully return to the workforce, which further complicates the ability to recruit and retain afterschool staff, creating a circular problem for many families. 46

As states and local districts gain access to additional funding for afterschool programs, grant funding must be allocated in an equitable manner and go to organizations that may have not always received grant funding in the past. The goal is to ensure that organizations that look like the communities they serve and provide culturally relevant and specific programming can receive funding. One way that states and districts can meet that goal is by structuring their requests for proposals in a way that targets grant funding to desired recipients.

As a part of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding received through the American Rescue Plan of 2021, states were required to set aside 1 percent of funds for afterschool programs and 1 percent of funds for summer learning programs. 47 Ignite Afterschool, the statewide afterschool network in Minnesota, worked with the Minnesota state legislature and governor’s office to require that 50 percent of the funding that the state received for afterschool and summer learning programs was reserved for community-based organizations that were equipped to provide culturally specific and relevant learning opportunities. 48 This meant that more than 50 percent of a selected organization’s board of directors and/or leadership and more than 50 percent of its staff reflect the groups that it seeks to serve. 49 This requirement helped target many of the funds received by the state education agency of Minnesota to organizations led by staff who identified as Black, Indigenous, other people of color, having a disability, and LGBTQ+, and in turn, they were able to effectively serve these student populations. 50

According to Kari Denissen Cunnien, the executive director of Ignite Afterschool, her organization was intentional in advocating that funding went to community-based organizations that provide culturally specific and relevant programming. As she explained, “When you map the resources of a community, it’s important to realize that children learn in expansive ecosystems and not just in school buildings alone.” 51 Therefore, “activating and leveraging these spaces” is crucial. 52 “Minnesota is very acutely aware of and affected by issues of racial injustice, and it needs to be called out how valuable community-specific learning spaces are for young people and their learning and healing.” 53

As a result of how Minnesota structured its grant program, grant recipients for afterschool and summer learning programs reflect the broad and diverse communities of the state. 54 For some organizations—such as the Mahkato Revitalization Project or Restoration for All Inc., 55 which serve Minnesota’s Indigenous and East African communities, respectively—this was their first time receiving federal grant funding. For other grant recipients—such as the Karen Organization of Minnesota and the Hmong American Partnership—the grant funds allow them to continue and sustain their work with refugee communities from Southeast Asia, including by helping their clients navigate the education system through the assistance of multilingual staff. 56

Read more on holistic approaches to gun violence prevention

Centering Youth in Community Violence Interventions as Part of a Comprehensive Approach to Countering Gun Violence

Oct 11, 2022

Terrell Thomas , Rachael Eisenberg

Funding available through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act enables districts to improve school safety by focusing on the mental health needs of students and contributes to addressing gun violence holistically without resorting to implementing more physical security measures. With billions of dollars in new funding, schools and districts can hire additional school-based mental health providers, support students experiencing trauma, and help students develop stronger relationships with their schools and communities. Investing in students’ well-being and emotional safety is a positive and evidence-based way to create the safe school environment that every student deserves.

• Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, Public Law 117-159, 117th Cong., 2nd sess. (June 25, 2022), available at  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2938/text .
• Bill Chappell, “Ohio Gov. DeWine signs a bill arming teachers after 24 hours of training,” NPR, June 14, 2022, available at  https://www.npr.org/2022/06/13/1104570419/ohio-dewine-guns-teachers .
• James H. Price and Jagdish Khubchandani, “School Firearm Violence Prevention Practices and Policies: Functional or Folly?,”  Violence and Gender 6 (3) (2019): 154–167, available at  https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/vio.2018.0044 ; Suzanne E. Perumean-Chaney and Lindsay M. Sutton, “Students and Perceived School Safety: The Impact of School Security Measures,”  American Journal of Criminal Justice 38 (4) (2013): 570–588, available at  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12103-012-9182-2#citeas .
• Jack Denton, “When Schools Increase Police Presence, Minority Students Are Harmed Disproportionately,” Pacific Standard, February 15, 2019, available at  https://psmag.com/education/after-parkland-schools-upped-police-presence-has-it-made-students-safer .
• Roby Chatterji, “Fighting Systemic Racism in K-12 Education: Helping Allies Move From the Keyboard to the School Board,” Center For American Progress, July 8, 2020, available at  https://www.americanprogress.org/article/fighting-systemic-racism-k-12-education-helping-allies-move-keyboard-school-board/ .
• American Academy of Pediatrics, “AAP-AACAP-CHA Declaration of a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health,” Press release, October 19, 2021, available at  https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/child-and-adolescent-healthy-mental-development/aap-aacap-cha-declaration-of-a-national-emergency-in-child-and-adolescent-mental-health/ .
• U.S. Office of the Surgeon General, “Protecting Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory” (Washington: 2021), available at  https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf .
• Deirdra Assey, “Addressing Misconceptions about Mental Health and Violence” (New York: The Council of State Governments Justice Center, 2021), available at  https://csgjusticecenter.org/publications/addressing-misconceptions-about-mental-health-and-violence/ .
• Allison Jordan, “Debunking Myths the Gun Lobby Perpetuates Following Mass Shootings,” Center for American Progress, September 8, 2022, available at https://www.americanprogress.org/article/debunking-myths-the-gun-lobby-perpetuates-following-mass-shootings/ .
• Jason E. Goldstick and others, “Current Causes of Death in Children and Adolescents in the United States,”  The New England Journal of Medicine  386 (20) (2022): 1955–1956, available at  https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2201761#article_citing_articles .
• Nicole Racine and others, “Global Prevalence of Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Children and Adolescents During COVID-19: A Meta-analysis,” JAMA Pediatrics 175 (11) (2021): 1142–1150, available at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2782796 .
• Lisa H. Jaycox and others, “Children’s Mental Health Care Following Hurricane Katrina: A Field Trial of Trauma-Focused Psychotherapies,” Journal of Traumatic Stress 23 (2) (2010): 223–231, available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860874/ ; Danielle Swick and Joelle D. Powers, “Increasing Access to Care by Delivering Mental Health Services in Schools: The School-Based Support Program,” School Community Journal 28 (1) (2018): 129–144, available at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1184769.pdf .
• Mir M. Ali and others, “Utilization of Mental Health Services in Educational Setting by Adolescents of the United States,” Journal of School Health 89 (5) (2019): 393–401, available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/josh.12753 .
• National Association of State Boards of Education, “State Policy Database: School Health Policy Database,” available at https://statepolicies.nasbe.org/ (last accessed September 2022); Ibid.
• Amir Whitaker and others, “Cops and No Counselors: How the Lack of School Mental Health Staff Is Harming Students” (Washington: American Civil Liberties Union, 2019), available at https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/030419-acluschooldisciplinereport.pdf ; Kristen Harper and Deborah Temkin, “Compared to majority white schools, majority black schools are more likely to have security staff,” Child Trends, available at https://www.childtrends.org/blog/compared-to-majority-white-schools-majority-black-schools-are-more-likely-to-have-security-staff (last accessed September 2022).
• National Center for Education Statistics, “Prevalence of Mental Health Services Provided by Public Schools and Limitations in Schools’ Efforts to Provide Mental Health Services” (Washington: Institute of Education Sciences, 2022), available at https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/a23 .
• New Hampshire Department of Education, “Project AWARE,” available at https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/division-of-learner-support/bureau-of-student-wellness/project-aware (last accessed September 2022).
• Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, “Project AWARE #CultureIsHealing,” available at http://www.sagchip.org/news.aspx?newsid=4198#.YyiozpDMLHB (last accessed September 2022).
• Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe “Project AWARE,” Press release, April 3, 2019, available at  http://www.sagchip.org/news.aspx?newsid=2331#.YzxmOHbMI2w .
• U.S. Department of Education, “Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program,” available at  https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/safe-supportive-schools/mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program/ (last accessed October 2022).
• Peoria Unified School District, “Social Emotional Learning Model: Multi-Tiered System of Support,” available at https://www.peoriaunified.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=6242 (last accessed September 2022); Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, “FY 2019 Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Abstracts” (Washington: U.S. Department of Education, 2019), available at https://oese.ed.gov/files/2019/11/Mental-Health_CFDA-84.184X_FY-2019-abstracts_11.4.2019.pdf .
• U.S. Department of Education, “School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program,” available at  https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/safe-supportive-schools/school-based-mental-health-services-grant-program/ (last accessed October 2022).
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, “Federal School-Based Mental Health Professionals Grant Program,” available at https://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/mental-health/school-based-mental-health-professionals-federal-grant-program (last accessed September 2022).
• Ryan L. Farmer and others, “Status of School Psychology in 2020, Part 2: Professional Practices in the NASP Membership Survey” (Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists, 2021), available at https://www.nasponline.org/Documents/Research%20and%20Policy/Research%20Center/RR_NASP-2020-Membership-Survey-part-2.pdf ; U.S. Department of Education, “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,” available at https://sites.ed.gov/idea/ (last accessed September 2022); Office of Civil Rights, “Free Appropriate Public Education for Students With Disabilities: Requirements Under Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973,” U.S. Department of Education, available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html (last accessed September 2022).
• Center on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support at the American Institutes for Research, “Essential Components of MTSS,” American Institutes for Research, available at https://mtss4success.org/essential-components (last accessed September 2022); National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, “Implementing School Mental Health Supports: Best Practices in Action” (Arlington, VA: U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, 2021), available at https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/13-ImpSchMnHlthSprtBtPrt-508_0.pdf .
• Elizabeth Heubeck, “Teachers Are Already Squeezed for Time. The Pandemic Has Made It Worse,” Education Week , February 15, 2022, available at https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/teachers-are-already-squeezed-for-time-the-pandemic-has-made-it-worse/2022/02 .
• Chris Murphy, “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,” Press release, July 11, 2022, available at https://www.murphy.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/bipartisan_safer_communities_act_one_pager.pdf .
• Afterschool Alliance, “21st Century Community Learning Centers,” available at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/policy21stcclc.cfm (last accessed September 2022).
• Erik Peterson, “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act includes support for afterschool and summer programs,” Afterschool Alliance, June 23, 2022, available at https://www.afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/Bipartisan-Safer-Communities-Act-includes-support-for_06-23-2022.cfm .
• Asian Counseling and Referral Service, “Southeast Asian Young Men’s Group,” available at https://acrs.org/services/child-youth-development/seaym/ (last accessed September 2022).
• Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS), “Across the Mekong,” available at https://acrs.org/services/child-youth-development/seaym/seaym-across-the-mekong/ (last accessed October 2022).
• Afterschool Alliance, “Afterschool Spotlight: South Asian Young Men’s Group (SEAYM),” available at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/documents/Protective-Factors-Spotlight-SEAYM.pdf (last accessed September 2022).
• Youth.gov, “Benefits for Youth, Families, and Communities,” available at https://youth.gov/youth-topics/afterschool-programs/benefits-youth-families-and-communities#_ftn1 (last accessed September 2022).
• Afterschool Alliance, “This is Afterschool,” available at http://afterschoolalliance.org/documents/National-One-Pager-2020.pdf (last accessed September 2022).
• Afterschool Alliance, “Afterschool: Fostering Protective Factors that Can Last a Lifetime” (Washington: 2019), available at http://afterschoolalliance.org/documents/issue_briefs/issue_protective_factors_75.pdf .
• Renee E. Sieving and others, “Youth–Adult Connectedness: A Key Protective Factor for Adolescent Health,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 52 (3) (2017): S275–S278, available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2016.07.037 .
• Afterschool Alliance, “Afterschool: Fostering Protective Factors that Can Last a Lifetime.”
• Council for A Strong America, “From Risk to Opportunity: Afterschool Programs Keep Kids Safe When Juvenile Crime Peaks” (Washington: 2019), available at https://strongnation.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/693/4af605ed-7f54-4d11-81fe-ce6ec893b106.pdf?1571194834&inline;%20filename=%22From%20Risk%20to%20Opportunity:%20Afterschool%20Programs%20Keep%20Kids%20Safe%20When%20Juvenile%20Crime%20Peaks.pdf%22 .
• Afterschool Alliance, “What We Do,” available at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/aboutUs.cfm (last accessed September 2022).
• Erik Peterson, senior vice president of policy, Afterschool Alliance, personal communication with authors via phone, July 11, 2022, on file with authors.
• Peterson, personal communication with authors via phone.
• Associated Press, “Understaffing Leaves After-School Programs With Unmet Demand,” WTTW, March 19, 2022, available at https://news.wttw.com/2022/03/19/understaffing-leaves-after-school-programs-unmet-demand .
• Afterschool Alliance, “Promoting Healthy Futures: Afterschool Provides the Supports Parents Want for Children’s Well-Being” (Washington: 2022), available at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/AA3PM/ .
• Afterschool Alliance, “Promoting Healthy Futures.”
• National Conference of State Legislatures, “Supporting Student Success Through Afterschool Programs,” NCSL, May 2, 2022, available at https://www.ncsl.org/research/education/expanding-learning-opportunities-through-afterschool-programs.aspx .
• Associated Press, “Understaffing Leaves After-School Programs With Unmet Demand.”
• Jillian Luchner, “Approaches to supporting afterschool and summer in state plans for education relief spending (Part 2),” Afterschool Alliance, July 16, 2021, available at https://www.afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/Approaches-to-supporting-afterschool-and-summer-in-state-plans_07-16-2021.cfm .
• Ignite Afterschool, “Home,” available at https://igniteafterschool.org (last accessed September 2022).
• Ignite Afterschool, “Believe and Build Afterschool Grants,” available at https://igniteafterschool.org/believe-and-build-afterschool-grants (last accessed September 2022).
• Ignite Afterschool, “Believe and Build Afterschool Grants.”
• Kari Denissen Cunnien, executive director, Ignite Minnesota, personal communication with authors via phone, July 27, 2022, on file with authors.
• Ignite Afterschool, “ Believe & Build Afterschool Grantees,” available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tWO6BBQ3PYzIyzVzaa5Rk93DPKK9N-d0/view (last accessed September 2022).
• Ibid; Restoration for All Inc., “Home,” available at https://www.restoreall.org (last accessed September 2022).
• Karen Organization of Minnesota, “Home,” available at https://www.mnkaren.org (last accessed September 2022); Hmong American Partnership, “About Us,” available at https://hmong.org/about-us/ (last accessed September 2022).

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here . American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.

Former Policy Analyst

Roby Chatterji

Former Associate Director

Akilah Alleyne

Former Director

K-12 Education Policy

The K-12 Education Policy team is committed to developing policies for a new education agenda rooted in principles of opportunity for all and equity in access.

Explore The Series

Gun violence in the United States is a pervasive public health issue. Ending this crisis requires a multipronged approach to address the many forms of gun violence that affect our communities. Firearm suicides, homicides, intimate partner and domestic violence, community gun violence, gun trafficking, and more all contribute to the immediate and growing need for comprehensive gun violence prevention policies. Gun violence is not inevitable. The following resources discuss sensible solutions to address the gun violence epidemic.

Fact Sheet: Weakening Requirements to Carry a Concealed Firearm Increases Violent Crime

Stay informed.

on K-12 Education Policy

Achieving and Maintaining Elementary School Safety Term Paper

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Overview of safety, safety in schools.

For a long time now, school environments have been touted as being among the safest and most secure places in society. However, in the recent past, schools have increasingly registered undesirable incidents, which serve to change this notion. Many countries across the world have witnessed bizarre occurrences within or near school premises, which have left traumatic memories deeply etched in the minds of the populace.

Therefore, safety in school environments can no longer be taken for granted and as such, stakeholders in the education sector have been compelled to place school safety and security issues among their priorities. In light of this understanding, this paper seeks to examine the issue of safety in elementary schools with an emphasis on how to achieve and maintain it.

It is important to have a clear concept of safety coupled with how it is applicable to a school environment prior to deliberating on the issue. Safety is defined as a state of reduced vulnerability to harm of any nature. This definition touches on emotional, physical, spiritual, educational harm, and so forth.

Therefore, in a school environment, a state of safety is achieved when exposure to any of these forms of risk is minimized to the least practically achievable levels. Although it is desirable to reduce vulnerability to risk to a zero level, it is unfortunate that this safety level is not achievable. It then follows that ensuring safety translates to bringing risk to acceptable levels as prescribed within a given field.

Achieving safety in a school environment should be a primary concern for any school administration, but often eludes those who seek to achieve it. This scenario happens when well-meant effort and resources are channeled to areas of physical safety such as alarms, fences, and locks, but leaves out fundamental areas such as a safe social environment for students.

School safety calls for a proactive approach by the school leadership, which implies that the school administration should first conduct a comprehensive analysis of the safety situation in and around the school to determine the safety hazards and deal with them decisively.

School environments often exhibit similar safety hazards except in some isolated cases. A school safety plan should cater for all possibilities to reduce the chances of circumventing it by ill-minded individuals.

Some of the most common safety hazards in school environments include thefts, physical fights, exposure to illegal drugs, bullying, and several other non-violent crimes. In rare cases, there have been incidents of baneful crimes in schools such as shootings or arson where both students and staff are affected. Although such cases are isolated, a vigilant safety plan should cater for such occurrences and cover both staff and students.

The first step towards ensuring a safe school environment is to ensure that the school leadership is totally committed to ensuring safety because this undertaking requires a lot of input from the entire school fraternity. The school should develop comprehensive policies that guide the entire safety plan by seeking input from all the concerned people.

Once developed, such policies should be pinned in places, which are open and accessible by all and need to be reviewed regularly to ensure that they remain relevant. The school administration should provide room for consultation with both staff and students to adjust them as necessary, which can be done with the help of leaders who are appointed and charged with the responsibility of managing safety matters in the school.

Demonstration of commitment is only step one of putting in place a safety plan. After that, the leadership should proceed by engaging the school community in assessing the school environment and identifying all hazards and any other necessary information concerning the hazards.

There are several ways of doing this assessment, for instance carrying out physical hazard inspection walks and hazard surveys from staff and students among others. Once established, a comprehensive list of hazards in a school environment serves to give an idea of the resources that may be required to build a safe school environment. The hazards should then be classified based on their level of risk so that when dealing with them, priority is given to those that pose the greatest risk.

The next move after compiling a list of hazards is developing and implementing an action plan, which takes care of all the hazards based on the severity of the risk posed. The staff should be closely involved in all these processes as they normally have vital insights into ways of dealing with the risk posed by the safety hazards in the school.

The best approach to this step is to eliminate all the hazards identified or maximally reduce the risk in cases where hazards cannot be eliminated. This step may require a lot of input in a variety of approaches to achieve it. This requirement might call for training of staff in some areas of safety, implementing attitude, and behavior change programs for students and conducting awareness campaigns for the entire school community.

This assertion implies that some measures can be implemented right away, but some may need budget allocations to be implemented. However, the school leadership should remain committed to implementing all the measures since leaving out some may jeopardize the entire exercise. This part of the process also needs the leadership to assign responsibility to well informed or trained individuals to champion the process to successful completion.

The final step in ensuring a safe school environment is to assemble machinery to evaluate and monitor the process to ensure that there is no slackness at any point to the end. The importance of the monitoring and evaluation phase is vested in the fact that long-term interventions are closely monitored to the very end. In addition, a safety program once up and running has to continue to offer sustained safety to students and staff.

Some of the indicators that may show the extent of success of the safety program include the number of staff trained in safety issues, the level injuries, near misses, and drug related cases reported. The monitoring and evaluation team has to remain in place as long as the program runs to review it and make recommendations whenever necessary. This step is important as it can serve to improve the program and tighten measures, thus delivering improved safety continuously for the benefit of staff and students.

School safety has emerged as everyone’s concern starting from the authorities and school administration all the way to the students and their parents, as a secure and safe school environment is a prerequisite to any meaningful learning and development for the students.

Some of the measures required to ensure safety in schools are expensive, but the importance of safety overrides such costs and makes it a worthwhile undertaking. The goodwill of all stakeholders in implementing a safety program is the most important ingredient to ensure its success and if harnessed well, schools shall be safe.

• Drug Abuse and Current Generation
• Problems of education
• Differentiated Lesson in the Elementary Classroom
• Flexible Grouping Plan of the Elementary Grade Students
• Smith Elementary School's Improvement Project
• Tailor-made work programs: Their Impact on Young People in a Modern Society
• Freaks, Geeks, and Cool Kids: American Teenagers, Schools, and the Culture of Consumption
• Increasing Marijuana Use in High School
• Frequent Tests as the Ways to Overcome Procrastination and Anxiety
• Living in Campus Verses Living off Campus
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, December 19). Achieving and Maintaining Elementary School Safety. https://ivypanda.com/essays/elementary-school-safety/

"Achieving and Maintaining Elementary School Safety." IvyPanda , 19 Dec. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/elementary-school-safety/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Achieving and Maintaining Elementary School Safety'. 19 December.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Achieving and Maintaining Elementary School Safety." December 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/elementary-school-safety/.

1. IvyPanda . "Achieving and Maintaining Elementary School Safety." December 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/elementary-school-safety/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Achieving and Maintaining Elementary School Safety." December 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/elementary-school-safety/.

NASP: The National Association of School Psychologists

• School Violence Prevention

In This Section

• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Families and Educators
• Best Practice Considerations for Schools in Active Shooter and Other Armed Assailant Drills
• School Safety Drills and Exercises for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Tips and Resources for Educators
• Threat Assessment at School
• Bullying Prevention
• Recovery From Large-Scale Crises: Guidelines for Crisis Teams and Administrators
• Responding to a Mass Casualty Event at a School: General Guidance for the First Stage of Recovery
• Mitigating Psychological Effects of Lockdowns
• Reunification

Brief Facts and Tips

All schools work to prevent school violence and schools are very safe places. Students, staff, and parents all have an important role in promoting school safety. Adults can provide leadership by reassuring students that schools are generally very safe places for children and youth and reiterating what safety measures and student supports are already in place in their schools. Adults can:

• Create a safe, supportive school climate (e.g., school-wide behavioral expectations, caring school climate programs, positive interventions and supports, and psychological and counseling services).
• Encourage students to take responsibility for their part in maintaining safe school environments, including student participation in safety planning.
• Reiterate the school rules and request that students report potential problems to school officials.
• Remind students of the importance of resisting peer pressure to act irresponsibly.
• Create anonymous reporting systems (e.g., student hot lines, suggestion boxes, and “tell an adult” systems).
• Control access to the school building (e.g., designated entrance with all other access points locked from the exterior).
• Monitor school guests.
• Monitor school parking lots and common areas, such as hallways, cafeterias, and playing fields.
• Include the presence of school resource officers, security guards, or local police partnerships.
• Use security systems.
• Develop crisis plans and provide preparedness training to all staff members.
• Develop threat-assessment and risk-assessment procedures and teams for conducting the assessments.
• Hold regular school-preparedness drills (e.g., intruder alerts, weather, fire, lockdown, evacuation).
• Create school-community partnerships to enhance safety measures for students beyond school property.
• Cite school safety incident data. Many school districts have local data that support a declining trend in school violence. When possible, citing local data helps families and students feel more at ease.
• Be a visible, welcoming presence at school, greeting students and parents and visiting classrooms.
• Conduct an annual review of all school safety policies and procedures to ensure that emerging school safety issues are adequately covered in current school crisis plans and emergency response procedures.
• Review communication systems within the school district and with community responders. This should also address how and where parents will be informed in the event of an emergency.
• Highlight violence prevention programs and curricula currently being taught in school. Emphasize the efforts of the school to teach students alternatives to violence including peaceful conflict resolution and positive interpersonal relationship skills.

References:

Brock, S.E., Nickerson, A.B., Reeves, M.A., Jimerson, S.R., Lieberman, R.A., & Feinberg, T.A. (2009). School crisis prevention and intervention: The PREPaRE model . Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Cowan, K., and Paine, C., (2015). School safety: What really works. Principal Leadership , 13(7), 12. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/March_13_School_Safety.

© 2015, National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814; (301) 657-0270, Fax (301) 657-0275; www.nasponline.org

Related Resources

Gun Violence Research Summary  (PDF) This document summarizes existing data that indicates the need for improved strategies that keep guns out of the hands of children and youth and those who would harm them.

Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers This handout provides guidance for talking to children after high profile violent acts. It includes suggestions based on age and grade level, as well as suggested points to emphasize.

School Violence Prevention: Tips for Parents and Educators All schools work to prevent school violence and schools are very safe places. Students, staff, and parents all have an important role in promoting school safety.

School Violence Prevention: Guidelines for Administrators and Crisis Teams School administrators and crisis team members can create safe, secure, and peaceful schools free from the destructive influence of violence in all of its forms.

Responding to School Violence: Tips for Administrators Administrators can reinforce the importance of creating a caring school community in which adults and students respect and trust each other and all students feel connected, understand expectations, and receive the behavioral and mental health support they need.

Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers

Share this handout, Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers in the following languages:

Texas SPAT grant, We have you covered.

Ways To Improve School Safety and Security to Keep Teachers and Students Safe

Over 1.4 million criminal incidents took place in educational facilities over the course of the 2019-2020 school year. These crimes included acts of violence, drugs, theft, and other potential hazards to student and staff safety. Approximately 5% of school-aged children reported a fear of being harmed on school grounds in the same year.  

School safety and security are a primary concern throughout our communities. Children, administrators, and their families deserve to feel safe inside our educational facilities and on school grounds. 

There are numerous technological programs, security measures, and policies and procedures that can improve school safety and security. We also explore creative ways that school administration, teachers, and students can get involved in creating a safe, secure learning environment. 

Security Measures to Improve School Safety

School administrators are responsible for ensuring that educational facilities are as safe as possible. This requires schools to implement procedures, policies, and emergency protocols.

Secured Perimeters

A safe school requires that the building’s perimeters remain secured. Implement safety procedures, including designated drop-off locations, parking lots, and restricted points of entry. 

Limited Access Points

There should be a designated door for staff and student entry. All outside doors should be checked regularly to ensure they are locked.

Surveillance Monitoring Inside and Out

Video surveillance has the potential to reduce the likelihood of criminal occurrences on school grounds. Video surveillance should be implemented inside and outside the school.

Create a Healthy School Environment for All Students 

One of the most important ways to improve school safety is for administrators to work to provide a healthy, safe, and welcoming environment for all students. The potential for an act of mass violence is an ongoing threat to schools throughout the nation.

Mental Illness and Acts of Mass Violence 

Mental illness plays a critical role in nearly all acts of mass violence. Students have been known to override security measures. Providing students and staff with an ongoing and reliable support system can connect them with the resources needed to prevent a catastrophe. 

Policies to Combat Bullying 

Develop policies that ensure educational environments protect students from physical violence, verbal harassment, and all forms of bullying. 

Positive Student/Teacher Relationships

Teachers should spend time with students and encourage them to discuss issues that are prevalent in their lives. Healthy relationships with teachers and administrators can have a positive impact on the student’s overall wellness. These relationships can also provide educators with inside information about at-risk students.

Encourage Students to Speak Up

Students play an active role in creating a positive, welcoming, and safe school environment. Educate students on the devastating effects of bullying, harassment, and violence. 

Anonymous Tip Reporting Tools

Improve school safety by encouraging students to speak up and providing them with adequate resources to make anonymous reports. Students should be encouraged to report any and all threatening behavior, including verbal harassment, physical violence, and/or bullying. Our school safety app allows users to provide anonymous tips to administrators and law enforcement. 

Encourage Peacemaking 

Encourage students to become school peacemakers and effectively intervene in the event that they witness a peer being bullied. 

Combat Social Isolation

All students deserve to feel important and develop meaningful relationships. Encourage students to involve socially isolated students. Social isolation is not the same as physical isolation. A student could be surrounded by peers but lack any valuable connections. These students may feel invisible, alienated, and unimportant. 

Risks of Social Isolation 

Students who suffer from a lack of positive social and emotional connections are at risk of depression and self-harm. These individuals may also be at an increased risk of committing acts of mass violence.

Social isolation is emotionally damaging. These students often feel lonely and may suffer from mental health issues. A lack of social relationships can result in low self-esteem, poor self-worth, and even feelings of anger/resentment. 

Organize Clubs to Improve Social Wellness 

Organize after-school programs, groups, and other activities that could potentially get socially isolated students more involved. 

Improve Threat Identification 

Training all teachers and students to identify potentially dangerous threats could save lives. Regularly remind students and teachers to of warning signs and indicators that an individual could be at risk of committing a violent crime. A school safety app should provide a threat identification and management feature to help school personnel and law enforcement take appropriate action. 

Teach Staff and Students to Watch for The Following Signs:

• Extreme Aggression 
• Obsession w/Violence, Guns, and/or Acts of Mass Violence
• Any Form of Violent Threat (Verbal, Written, or Gestural) 
• Social Isolation 

Encourage all staff and students to report this information to administrators, law enforcement, and/or an internal threat assessment committee.

Prepare Staff and Students to Respond to Crisis

Create a safer school environment by preparing students and staff to respond to any crisis. Knowing how to respond to these disasters has the potential to minimize casualties. 

Create a Plan

Schools should review their current emergency protocol and develop a plan to respond to any potential incident. 

Practice Active Shooter Drills 

Improve school safety by training students on the best way to respond to an active shooter situation.

Invest in SaferWatch Solutions 

Our safety app allows students and teachers to feel safe in the classroom. Advanced technology, including surveillance monitoring systems, communication tools, and incident reporting systems are crucial for protecting students and staff. 

Alyssa’s Law Compliant School Safety Solutions By SaferWatch App:

• Incident Management
• Mass Notification System
• Mobile Panic Alert System
• Threat Assessment
• Tip & Threat Reporting

Contact SaferWatch Today to Learn About Our Solutions or Advocate On Our Behalf 

SaferWatch Solutions provide schools with the resources required to maintain a safe, healthy learning environment. Our mobile application provides threat assessment, monitoring, and communication tools. Reach out to SaferWatch today for more information about our advanced solutions to improve school security. 

Recent Posts

• Alyssa’s Law: Enhancing School Safety Nationwide
• Strengthening Neighborhood Bonds: Effective Communication Strategies for HOAs
• Alyssa’s Law Passes in Utah: Enhancing School Safety with Panic Buttons
• Creating a Safer Workplace: Strategies to Prevent Violence
• Enhancing School-Parent Communication: A Vital Component for Student Safety
• Corporate Safety
• Healthcare Safety
• Law Enforcement
• Neighborhood Safety
• Personal Safety
• Public Safety
• School Safety
• Travel Safety
• Uncategorized
• Worship Building Safety

Speak to a Safety Specialist

Our clients what people are saying.

It is of the utmost importance that no one in Broward County feels unsafe. The SaferWatch App gives anyone the ability to send non-emergency text, video, and audio tips from your smartphone directly to us. It’s a fast, easy, and effective way to...

- Sheriff Gregory Tony

Providing a safe and secure learning environment for our students, staff and visitors is a top priority at Broward County Public Schools. SaferWatch provides a quick and convenient way for our school stakeholders to quickly report suspicious...

- Superintendent, Dr. Howard Hepburn

The SaferWatch App is a powerful public safety and information tool that will help us connect directly to the citizens who live, work and visit Atlantic Beach. The SaferWatch App enables smartphone owners to report suspicious activity and crime...

- Chief, Victor L. Gualillo

Together we are stronger. At Miami Community Charter School, safety is always our top priority. The SaferWatch App allows students and visitors to easily report suspicious activity they may observe while at MCCS. SaferWatch tips go directly to...

- Miami Community Charter School

At the Hyundai Air and Sea Show, safety is always our top priority. The SaferWatch App allows attendees of the Hyundai Air and Sea Show to easily report suspicious activity they may observe while at the event. SaferWatch tips go directly to Air and...

- Mickey Markoff

The SaferWatch App is a powerful public safety and information tool that will help us connect directly to the citizens who live, work and visit Clay County. SaferWatch provides real-time two-way communication over a secure network during emergency...

- Sheriff Michelle Cook

The SaferWatch Application is a tool that allows the community to connect directly with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Safety is always the top priority for our community. SaferWatch allows us to communicate seamlessly with our neighbors and...

- Chief of Police, Rick Maglione

We are all a part of school safety. You are our eyes and ears. We are pleased to introduce a new school safety tool, called SaferWatch. The SaferWatch App has three key features. The first is the mobile panic alert solution which allows employees to...

- Chief of Police, Dan Alexander

School safety is the responsibility of all stakeholders, to include teachers, parents, guardians, school administrators, school staff, and law enforcement personnel. Having many existing safeguards to prevent, mitigate and deal with critical...

- Chief of Police Edwin Lopez

Your safety is our priority! That motto is demonstrated through our agency’s partnership with SaferWatch to provide an additional way for residents, business professionals and visitors to readily communicate with our police department. As wireless...

- Chief of Police Gary Blocker

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is committed to providing a safe and supportive community through honest, competent, professional and progressive law enforcement services. To support and enhance our mission statement, we have joined forces with...

- Sheriff Michael T. Nielsen

While hosting our record-breaking 11th Super Bowl in South Florida, the safety of every member of our community continues to be of utmost importance. Download the free SaferWatch app today and help be a part of the safety...

- Rodney Barreto

Crime prevention cannot be achieved by the police alone. The police and the community must work together to help combat crime in our community. The police heavily depend on the citizens and visitors to act as our eyes and ears within the community....

- Chief Of Police Daniel J. Ransone

The Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office strives to do everything we can to protect and serve the citizens of Tippecanoe County. We cannot do this without communicating with those living, working, and visiting in Tippecanoe County. Two-way...

- Sheriff Robert Goldsmith

At Nova Southeastern University, safety is always our top priority. The SaferWatch App allows students and visitors to easily report suspicious activity they may observe while at NSU. SaferWatch tips go directly to NSU’s Public Safety Team to...

- Nova Southeastern University

The SaferWatch app is one more way our residents and visitors can connect directly with the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. In the world we live in, accurate and timely information is crucial. With SaferWatch, you can get important alerts on law...

- Sheriff Michael J. Chitwood

The SaferWatch App is a new way for our Citizens to relay important information to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. The app also allows us to put out alerts to our Citizens in regards to important Public Safety issues. Please download the...

- Sheriff Bob Johnson

The SaferWatch App is a powerful tool that helps the Davie Police Department to directly connect with the residents and visitors of the Town of Davie. The SaferWatch App allows the community to report suspicious activity, crime tips, threats and...

- Chief Stephen Kinsey

We are proud to announce the Juno Beach SaferWatch Program. The SaferWatch Program is another way for the Juno Beach Police Department to partner with the Juno Beach Community, to enhance public safety and quality of life. The SaferWatch Application...

- Chief Of Police Brian J. Smith

Now that we’ve finished our testing of the app, we are excited to offer it to our residents and visitors alike. The company’s ability to work with our existing software platforms was what sold us on this application. SaferWatch is going to lead...

- Chief Edward J. Hudak Jr.

The Pinecrest Police Department uses advancements in wireless technology, the internet and mobile computing as a transformational tool. The SaferWatch application will transform how you can interact with the Pinecrest Police Department, by providing...

- Chief Of Police Jason Cohen

The safety of our students, teachers and residents is of the utmost importance. Equipping schools and our community with technology they can utilize to report suspicious activity will help to prevent crime. We are pleased to introduce a new safety...

- Mayor, Don McLaughlin

• Industries We Protect
• Airports & Travel
• Pre-K-12 & Higher Education
• Government & Federal Safety
• Executive Protection
• Hospitals & Healthcare
• HOAs & Communities
• Places of Worship
• Public Venues and Events
• Retail Locations
• Mass Notifications System
• Physical Panic Buttons
• Tip & Threat Reporting
• Pre K-12 & Higher Education
• Advocate for SaferWatch
• Alyssa’s Law
• School Funding Programs
• About Saferwatch
• How It Works
• Why SaferWatch
• Testimonials
• Our Clients
• Request a Demo

How Can Schools Improve Safety And Security? 6 Strategies For Success

Improving safety and security in schools in both physical and online learning environments is critical for students’ success.

For students, schools should be a place where learning is accessible, enjoyable, and, most importantly, safe. Physical security plays an important role in student safety. Monitoring behavior and being aware of warning signs that signal potential harm helps protect students from both internal and external threats.

Let’s discuss the importance of student safety, the complexities of physical security, and six strategies you can use to keep students physically safe at all times.

The importance of school safety and security today

A rising mental health crisis and increasing gun violence mark an unmistakable need for more and better K-12 school security measures.

Is school violence on the rise?

According to data from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), school violence , specifically shootings at K-12 schools, has steadily risen since 1970. In 2021, there were a reported 250 shooting incidents, up from just 46 in 2016.

While there are a number of factors that may be to blame, common examples include the rise of bullying and cyberbullying, hate crimes, and other toxic behaviors.

How does school safety and security impact student learning and development?

When students feel unsafe at school, it can greatly impact their ability to learn and retain information effectively. Unsafe environments may lead to:

• Increased absences.
• Poor performance on learning materials and tests.
• Increased mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression.

Physical safety: What can you do?

School shootings and other forms of violence are a paramount concern for students, parents, educators, and community members. And with threats like gun violence increasing, there have been calls to “harden” school grounds throughout the country by implementing visible, physical security measures. Suggestions include adding metal detectors, employing school-based police, and even arming teachers.

However, research finds that these efforts are ineffective and can actually decrease students’ sense of safety .

Although it’s important to have basic physical school security measures and visitor management procedures in place, districts must be careful not to overdo it. Over-monitoring can disproportionately impact LGBTQ+ students, students of color, and students with disabilities. In fact, studies show that increasing school policing can lead to increased suspensions, expulsions, and interactions that further disrupt student learning.

These strategies ultimately create a more tense and anxiety-ridden learning environment. Instead, districts should focus on alternative solutions that prioritize both emotional and physical safety simultaneously.

6 effective strategies for protecting student safety

With student safety top of mind, here are six strategies that K-12 schools can use to facilitate a safe and secure learning environment for everyone while on school grounds.

1. Know the warning signs

Oftentimes, there are a handful of signs that a student or students could display that are indicative of potentially violent behavior in the future. Some of these warning signals are more obvious than others, but all are equally important.

Teaching both staff and students to recognize these behaviors could help stop a potential threat before it ever has a chance to cause harm.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice , warning signs include:

• Social withdrawal
• Excessive feelings of isolation
• Being a victim of violence, such as bullying or parental abuse
• Feelings of persecution
• Uncontrolled anger
• Patterns of chronic intimidation
• Discipline problems
• Aggressive behavior
• Intolerance for differences
• Drug and alcohol use and abuse
• Affiliation with gangs
• Inappropriate access to and possession of firearms

The Department of Justice goes one step further to acknowledge more immediate warning signs that may signal a high risk for dangerously violent behavior:

• Serious physical fighting
• Destruction of property
• Severe rage for apparently minor reasons
• Detailed threats of lethal violence
• Possession or use of firearms and other weapons

2. Create reporting systems inside and outside the school

While citizen, student, and school safety is the responsibility of governmental authorities and schools at large, they can be augmented with support from the larger school community.

Encourage students, staff, parents, and community members to step up and report potential threats they have noticed. Ideally, a platform where clear and open communication channels are available for people to anonymously share information with school administrators and local law enforcement can promote action.

3. Foster a positive school climate

On June 25, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) into law, shortly after the tragic school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. Beyond gun safety measures, the BSCA addresses some of the root causes of school violence, particularly the need to improve school climate through mental health services, out-of-school programs, and community-based resources.

The BSCA allocates over $1.2 billion in funding for programs that help enrich school climates and actually prohibits using the money for “hardening” tactics, like arming teachers or other school staff.

4. Invest in Social Emotional Learning

Social and emotional learning (SEL) can help students strengthen their emotional intelligence and become more thoughtful, empathetic people. It teaches students how to resolve issues peacefully, understand different perspectives, and think rationally about social relationships. This can also go a long way toward preventing social isolation.

A lack of social relationships and severe feelings of isolation can lead to low-self esteem, poor self-worth, and feelings of resentment.

5. Filter harmful content out of the school district

Inappropriate and violent content has no place in K-12 schools but is easily accessible on the internet without the right filters.

Using a content filter can help keep students from accessing potentially harmful websites that may negatively impact their well-being and development or inspire violent behavior. For example, filtering tools can block access to videos or websites that contain graphic depictions of sexuality or violence. More importantly, it can help teachers and other school staff discern any suspicious activity and identify those who may be at risk of causing harm to themselves or others.

Content filters will make you aware of what students are searching for, who is searching for particular content, and give you the ability to block access to those websites.

6. Implement a cloud monitoring tool

Cloud monitoring is not only a great cybersecurity resource but also a helpful way to protect student safety. With a data loss prevention solution, you can automate threat detection with AI-powered alerts. This allows you to focus on other critical tasks while your platform keeps tabs on cloud behavior.

Sometimes, students use school-provided cloud applications, such as Google Docs, Chat, and/or Gmail, to discuss their feelings and personal lives. Some even share suicidal thoughts or self-expressions that could indicate self-harm or other violent intentions. A cloud monitoring tool can identify these instances, the user or users involved, and help administrators intervene before it’s too late.

Promote student safety with ManagedMethods

Student safety is paramount. ManagedMethods can be part of your district’s broader effort to help students in need by making it easier for administrators to detect and mitigate potential issues before they become larger issues.

Get ahead of your academic year with our back-to-school technology guide !

Get a free trial!

Experience visibility and control with cloud security made easy. Start securing your organization’s cloud data!

Subscribe to be in touch with the latest news

Recent posts.

Enhancing School Safety with Cloud Monitor: A Powerful Cyber Safety Protection Tool August 23, 2024 • K-12 Cyber Safety Enhancing School Safety with Cloud Monitor: A Powerful Cyber Safety Protection Tool

How Safe is Google Drive?  August 22, 2024 • Google Workspace Security How Safe is Google Drive? 

Top 3 Cybersecurity Tips to Strengthen Your Defenses This Back-to-School Season August 16, 2024 • K-12 Cybersecurity Webinar Blog Series Top 3 Cybersecurity Tips to Strengthen Your Defenses This Back-to-School Season

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

NIJ’s Comprehensive School Safety Initiative

The Comprehensive School Safety Initiative (CSSI) is a research-focused initiative that brings together the nation’s best minds to increase the safety of schools nationwide.

On this page find:

About the Initiative

Ongoing research.

 The initiative was a response to disturbing, high-profile incidents of school violence. Schools are mostly safe places — but when violence does occur, it can have far-reaching ramifications. CSSI is an investment in developing knowledge about the root causes of school violence, developing strategies for increasing school safety, and rigorously evaluating innovative school safety strategies through pilot programs.

CSSI projects aim to:

• Identify and understand the potential root causes and consequences of school violence and its impact on school safety.
• Increase the safety of schools nationwide by developing a solid foundation of knowledge and best practices that can be sustainably implemented through individualized school safety programs, policies, and activities.
• Help identify matters internal and external to the school that may result in harm to students, teachers, staff, and schools.
• Implement programs, policies, and practices that improve school safety and climate, focus on the school environment, or enhance educational and other outcomes for students and schools.
• Identify effective strategies to respond to and resolve safety issues faced by schools and students.
• In collaboration with key partners from education, law enforcement, behavioral/mental health, and social work, develop and test a comprehensive framework for school safety.

The initiative is focused on K-12 public schools, including public charter schools. CSSI projects require close collaborations between educators, researchers, and other stakeholders in the school community to ask the right questions, prioritize challenges, identify solutions, collect data, and make sense of the findings. 

Through projects funded under the CSSI, NIJ works to produce knowledge that can be applied to school safety across the nation and for years to come.

Additional Comprehensive School Safety Initiative resources:

• Read the 2015 NIJ Comprehensive School Safety Initiative Report to Congress (pdf, 30 pages)
• Read the 2014 NIJ Comprehensive School Safety Initiative Report (pdf, 47 pages) .
• Read the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to the Text of H.R. 3547, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (pdf, 1,582 pages) .
• Read the Explanatory Statement Submitted by U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers, Kentucky, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Regarding the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment on H.R. 3547 (pdf, 143 pages) .

NIJ launched the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative in 2014. The table below gives an overview of the funding amounts per year, number of awards, and provides links to descriptions of awards for each year of the initiative.

Each year, more of the CSSI funded projects are completed. To access the research findings from completed CSSI projects, select the link in the Solicitation & Awards column of the table below, find and select an award title to open an award detail page, and scroll down see final reports and articles generated from the award.

[note 1] In fiscal year 2017, in addition to funding 20 awards as the result of the two solicitations listed in the table, NIJ also provided funding through an interagency agreement for the School Survey on Crime and Safety.  View the First Look Results (pdf, 96 pages) .

[note 2] In fiscal year 2014, in addition to funding 24 awards as the result of the two solicitations listed in the table, NIJ also funded five additional projects through interagency agreements with other federal agencies. See details of those additional awards .

Cite this Article

Read more about:.

Sample message here.

14 School Safety Techniques for a more secure facility

Paul kazlauskas.

• August 14, 2023

School safety is a complicated issue.

It affects children, teachers, administrators, and parents in a variety of ways, from the quality of learning to the risk of lawsuits. But it is also everyone’s responsibility, and schools should remind stakeholders of their respective roles in promoting school safety and security.

So where should a school start?

Below is a list of ideas that schools in America have implemented successfully to improve their safety and security measures:

1. Limit entryways to school buildings. Clearly mark the main entry to the school and post signs on other entries redirecting visitors to the main entry. Lock outside access doors. Check periodically to make sure the doors haven’t been tampered with or propped open. The periodic inspections should include windows too. See these best practices for protecting school grounds and increasing safeguarding measures on campus.

2. Monitor the school parking lot. If possible, have a parking lot monitor who oversees people entering and leaving the campus.

3. Monitor and supervise student common areas such as hallways, cafeterias, and playgrounds. If possible, add video surveillance in these areas to record anything a monitoring person may miss.

4. Promote school-community partnerships to enhance safety measures for students beyond school property (police surveillance, Neighborhood Watch programs). There are willing community organizations that can help.

5. Consider the presence of school resource officers, local police, and/or security guards.

6. Monitor school visitors and implement a Visitor Management System . Require that visitors report to the main office, sign in, and wear visitor badges. Visitor Management Systems makes it easy for schools to log, identify, track, and run reports on visitors. Always know who is in your school. All staff should be trained to report strangers not wearing a visitor badge to the school office.

7. Provide threat-assessment and risk-assessment procedures and teams for conducting them.

8. Develop/update your school’s crisis plan and preparedness training. School emergency plans should include preparedness procedures such as lockdowns, evacuations, parent-student reunification procedures, and emergency communications protocols. These should be shared with parents and the media. Building-level teams should regularly review plans, hold simulation drills, and train staff in how to respond to students’ questions.

9. Create a safe, supportive school climate that provides school-wide behavioral expectations, caring school climate programs, positive interventions and supports, psychological and counseling services, and violence prevention programs.

10. Encourage students to take responsibility for their part in maintaining safe school environments. Reward students who take the initiative to help keep schools safe.

11. Provide students with access to anonymous reporting systems (student hot lines, “suggestion” boxes, “tell an adult” campaigns). Young people sometimes have a difficult time speaking up if they see or hear something that may compromise school security. Allow them the means to communicate without the embarrassment of being labeled a “tattle tale”.

12. Institute strict procedures for key control. Assign the responsibility for locking and unlocking the school to as few individuals as possible. Number the keys in existence and document who has which school keys.

13. Keep unoccupied rooms and spaces locked when not in use.

14. Ensure that all classrooms, including portable and temporary classrooms, have two-way communication with the office.

Administrators can reinforce the importance to school safety by creating a caring school community in which adults and students respect and trust each other and all students feel connected, understand expectations, and receive any behavioral and mental health support they need.

eVisitor Software  is a stand-along visitor management systems that can affordably increase your facility security and help you always know who is in your building. eVisitor makes it easy for facilities to log, identify, track, and run reports on visitors.  Watch this video to learn more , then request a free demo today!

Subscribe to THRESHOLD Updates

Join our list and stay connected.

Complete this form to receive product news, industry trends, & offers.

Get 20% OFF your 1st order for signing up! (new customers only)

You can unsubscribe at any time. We never sell your information to anyone.

The Red Flag feature has been improved! Now you can set your system to not print a badge for any visitor record that has been previously marked with a Red Flag. The attendant will be prompted to redirect the visitor according to your security protocol.

Special New Feature: Red Flag, No Badge

The flags and notes only show to the desk attendant, not the visitor. 

Please contact eVisitor Support with any questions on how to use Flags in your system.  

If you have seen a special offer in our advertising, mailings, or emails, this is the area to enter the Promo Code to receive that offer. After you’ve entered the Promo Code, click “Update cart” for the code to take effect. If you have any questions, please call 1-800-243-1969.

Promoting School Safety

Familyeducation editorial staff.

The primary cause of anxiety for many parents today is protecting their children from acts of violence at school. In general, parents and school officials are concerned about preventing children from becoming either aggressors or victims.

• Teaching prevention skills: Students are being taught mediation skills (problem solving and communication) and ways to handle their emotions--especially anger--without hurting others. These skills will help them avoid potentially dangerous situations. Students are also being taught "safe" behaviors, such as doing activities in groups, alerting school personnel if a stranger is on school grounds, and reporting situations that threaten other students' safety .
• Providing alternatives to gangs: School districts and communities are working together to offer students alternatives to gang membership, including activities that build self-esteem and help students deal with feelings of powerlessness. Strategies include providing special assistance to students who are at risk of gang membership, creating an atmosphere that fosters a sense of belonging in all students, informing parents and school staff about gangs (and teaching students how to avoid being drawn into them), and giving students regular opportunities to discuss school experiences and to plan for future successes and rewards.
• Improving school designs: As school buildings are constructed and old ones are renovated, safety has become an essential element of their design. In new schools, office areas are now centrally located for easy accessibility from other locations in the building or campus. Hallways have convenient exits and are well lit. Dead-end hallways and staircase hideaways have been eliminated, and restrooms are located closer to administrators to prevent students from hanging out.
• Monitoring visitors carefully: Schools are becoming more assertive in screening visitors, requiring them to register when entering the building or campus and by employing security personnel. Schools can be both secure and friendly by requesting visitors to check in rather than report to the office. Registered visitors are given a pass or badge to display prominently to let staff and students know that they have been acknowledged by the administration. Staff and students are instructed to report people without proper identification to a school administrator. In addition, many schools now ask that parents give the names of adults who are allowed to pick up a child, and require those individuals to show identification to school personnel when signing a student out.

Parents can teach their children safe behaviors before enrolling them in school. Children who know the appropriate action to take in a given situation are less likely to expose themselves to danger. The following are safe behaviors to teach your child:

• Not talking to strangers: This warning is more important today than ever before. Encourage your children to get to know school staff other than their teachers and get acquainted with them yourself. Familiarity helps children recognize adults who don't belong, as well as adults who can offer help when needed. As a plus, children will also learn that the school staff are their friends and more than just rule enforcers.
• Taking safety in numbers: Encourage your children to stay close to friends and to walk in groups in school hallways. Suggest that they limit their restroom visits to recess and breaks and use facilities located in high-traffic areas or in areas more likely to be visited by staff.
• Choosing friends carefully: Encourage your children to avoid students who do not handle anger effectively. Ask your children to be particularly careful with classmates who bring weapons to school and to report any such incidents to their teachers.

Adapted from "The Art of Safe School Planning" by Ronald Stephens in the February 1996 issue of The School Administrator .

About FamilyEducation's Editorial Team

Join the family.

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

How Can We Improve School Safety Research?

2010, Educational Researcher

Related Papers

Ruth Berkowitz

and Keywords This article focuses on socio-ecological and whole-school approaches to coping with school violence, while highlighting best practices for selecting, developing, and monitoring interventions. We present several empirically supported programs, followed by identified characteristics of successful interventions and considerations on selecting an appropriate program for a particular school. Finally, we discuss the systematic monitoring method and approach and its utility in creating safer schools while emphasizing the contextual features and the nested environment in which schools reside. We suggest manners in which the systematic monitoring approach can be considered, advocated, and implemented by school staff members, particularly school social workers.

Ruth Berkowitz , Hadass Moore

School violence can be understood as any behavior that is intended to harm other people at schools or near school grounds. This may include bullying and victimization, or more severe forms of violence involving weapons. To respond effectively to school violence, school personnel and leaders must understand the influences on their schools that come from individuals, the surrounding community, and cultural and political spheres. Careful and ongoing assessment of the needs of any given school is also a prerequisite to effective intervention. The severity of violence, the exact location of violent acts, and how different groups on a school campus experience violence are all key details to understanding and measuring problems. With this information, schools are then able to choose intervention programs that will utilize a whole-school approach. Sometimes, existing Evidence Based Programs can address the needs of a particular school and surrounding community. Other times, schools need to either modify existing interventions or create their own to address the particular forms of violence that exist in their schools and communities.

This report consists of 11 research briefs on the prevention of bullying in schools and colleges prepared by a task force of the American Educational Research Association. This report is also available from AERA at http://www.aera.net

Children & Schools

Joey N Estrada Jr.

Ronald Pitner

School Psychology International

Suzanne Perkins

Journal of School …

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED PAPERS

Roxana Marachi, PhD

American Educational Research Journal

Rami Benbenishty , Joey N Estrada Jr. , Ron Astor

Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research

Jennifer Unger

Journal of School Violence

Psychology of Violence

Rami Benbenishty

Benjamin Kutsyuruba , Alicia Hussain, PhD

Chen Ji-Kang

Theory Into Practice

Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review

Journal of Adolescence

Yossi Harel-Fisch

International Journal of School & Educational Psychology

Veda Brown , Linda Reddy , Eric Anderman

British Journal of Educational Psychology

Ron Astor , Rami Benbenishty

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Mona Khoury-kassabri , Rami Benbenishty , Ron Astor

Encyclopedia of Social Work Online

Jonathan B Singer

Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology

Catherine Bradshaw , Tracy Waasdorp

Kapari, K., & Stavrou, P.-D. (2010). School characteristics as predictors of bullying and victimization among Greek middle school students. International Journal of Violence and School, 11, 93-113.

Pilios - Dimitris Stavrou

Education and Information Technologies

Tali Heiman

Journal of Youth and Adolescence

Tamika Gilreath

Anthony Peguero , Shinwoo Choi

Emily Hannum

salhi khayreddine

Social Indicators Research

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

• Notice at Collection
• Your Privacy Choices
• Exercise Your Privacy Rights
• Public Safety
• Human Services
• Sponsored: Customer Experience

How the nation’s largest school system keeps students safe

naphtalina via Getty Images

Connecting state and local government leaders

By Chris Teale

By thinking of physical and digital safety as the same, the New York City schools are preparing their systems for ever-evolving technologies.

• Cybersecurity
• New York City

Keeping schools safe in the digital age is no small feat. Just ask Demond Waters, chief information security officer for the New York City Department of Education.

It was not that long ago that New York City Public Schools was the victim of a cyberattack . In April, the personal data of the system’s more than 1.1 million students was compromised. Ensuring that doesn’t happen again is one of the many things Waters worries about.

Waters oversees the security of the largest public school system in the U.S., with a student population that exceeds many cities. The system has 185,000 employees across 1,800-plus schools and dozens of other buildings. It manages 800,000 district-issued Chromebooks and 600,000 iPads. 

Given the system’s size, schools have a lot of autonomy in their technology policies and what they can buy and use. Waters balances those myriad policies and purchases in an ever-evolving technology landscape that currently means wrestling with the rise of artificial intelligence. Through all of this, Waters keeps people safe, he says, by thinking of digital safety as the same as students’ physical safety.

The spate of so-called Zoom bombings of students’ virtual classrooms during the pandemic helps illustrate how tech issues are safety issues.

“It's not just outside in,” he recently told Route Fifty . “It's insider threats, which impacts student safety.”

Related articles

Cyberattacks still ravage schools, defying White House efforts launched last year

States are enacting school cellphone bans. Here’s what that looks like.

Was Los Angeles schools’ $6 million AI venture a disaster waiting to happen?

Through that lens, Waters has made a number of technology updates. He’s moved the department to a zero-trust security framework  in partnership with cloud security company Zscaler , as well as Google and Microsoft, which grants users and devices access only to parts of the network that are essential to their task. He’s shifted device and identity management to the cloud, where his office can garner insight into web traffic and update security for the networks and apps students and staff use.

The pandemic accelerated the centralization of identity and device management, Waters said, whereas before it had been up to individual schools to procure devices for students and manage them. Device and identity management isn’t just about checking to see how much time students spend on YouTube or TikTok during instructional hours, either. Waters said it is part of the interconnected nature of digital safety and student safety.

“Kids might be using DOE devices … and they're visiting the suicide helpline,” he said. “We're getting calls from the [New York City Police Department], and we know that student because they logged on with a student ID, we know what iPad they’re on. We can say, ‘Hey, this is a student that's in danger now.’ Now we know why you need to manage these devices, because now you're protecting something that we didn't think was a real scenario until it became a scenario.”

Some tech issues remain out of the department’s control. Amid the global CrowdStrike outage that affected many city services , a number of products and services the public schools use were impacted. And New York could soon debate a statewide ban on cellphone use in schools.

Meanwhile, there is always the worry about students or staff clicking on phishing emails , which remain a popular way for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities. Raising awareness is the biggest challenge given the size of the school system and the communications challenges that go with that. Getting principals to understand cyber risks is a good way to overcome some of those obstacles, Waters said, as they then are more inclined to turn to the Department of Education if something goes wrong.

“It's difficult with a school district this size, so we just try to do a little bit at a time,” Waters said. “With technology, if people feel like they're part of the solutions, they're more easily adopted.”

And then there are new technologies to manage. The public release of ChatGPT roiled the system last year, as reports filtered out of students using the chatbot to help with essays and other assignments. The Department of Education initially banned the use of the generative AI chatbot in January 2023 , only to rescind the ban several months later . The flip created negative headlines for the school district, but it has forced the department to run its AI policy through various working groups.

“We're building AI-enabled apps, so now we're looking at the issue holistically, as an agency, not individually, as just a school who wants to use this,” Waters said. “That spearheaded more collaboration amongst the educators, the IT folks, the students, as well as the administrators.”

As part of its efforts to stay on top of the changing tech landscape, Waters said the department is trying to educate students about the technology field amid an ongoing shortage of cybersecurity and technology workers. “They don't have the opportunity, or they don't know what the jobs are,” he said.

In a bid to build that pipeline of future employees, Waters said the department looks to create opportunities for students to learn through internships, alternative high school programs and fellowships with curricula that reflect how the technology has advanced. “To me, that is a skill you can learn; that's a trade,” he said. “You can learn that programming is a trade, just like being an electrician is a trade.”

NEXT STORY: Crowdstrike debacle underlines single-point-of-failure risk

Sign up for our daily newsletter:

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Functional Cookies

Performance Cookies

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

Targeting Cookies

Help us tailor content specifically for you:

• News & Stories

No resource officers, more counselors: How Seattle hopes to improve school safety

Seattle Public Schools students may notice more security staff and mental health supports — but not the return of school resource officers — when they return to classrooms in September.

Mayor Bruce Harrell and Superintendent Brent Jones on Thursday launched a new nearly $15 million joint safety and security initiative for the new school year.

It comes after last school year ended in tragedy, when Garfield High School student Amarr Murphy-Paine was shot and killed in a school parking lot.

The deadly shooting — and other incidents of gun violence throughout the school year — prompted calls to improve student safety at Garfield and across the city and district. Seattle Public Schools officials pledged to consider a range of new measures over the summer, from closed campuses to bringing armed police officers back to schools.

Reviving the controversial school resource officer program is not part of this plan.

But 11 middle and high schools with the highest rates of violence in and around campus — Rainier Beach, Garfield, Chief Sealth International, Franklin, and Ingraham high schools, as well as Kurose, Washington, Denny, Mercer, Robert Eagle Staff, and Meany middle schools — will have more police stationed outside during key times, like during lunch and before and after school.

The district will also hire more counselors, social workers, and school security guards, and create a new executive director position to oversee safety and security districtwide, and work with the city police and fire departments.

Plus, new staff working as "violence interrupters" will be stationed inside some schools.

Deputy Mayor Tiffany Washington said the role of violence interrupters is to build trust with students who are more likely to be involved in gun violence.

"They don't trust everybody," Washington said. "But they trust people in this room that look like them, walk like them, talk like them, and have experiences like them, but have come out on the other side."

Next school year, high schoolers may also no longer be able to leave campus during lunch. Principals at individual schools will decide whether to close campus.

Annie Patu, principal of Rainier Beach High School, has decided to close her campus. She said it was a difficult decision, but she thinks it's the best way to keep her school community safe. Two Seattle students were shot and killed during lunch last year.

"I love my students and I love my community," she said. "I made this decision with lots of feedback from our students, our families, our community partners, and data for incidents that occurred over the last few years during our lunch period.”

Education Reporter

Sami West is a reporter covering schools in Seattle and across the Puget Sound region. She’s been on the education beat for over five years and has reported extensively on the countless ways COVID has impacted schools, students, and families. Her coverage has also focused on school finances, special education issues, the importance of early childhood education, and the growing youth mental health crisis.

Recommended Stories

Missing children, unmarked graves, unanswered questions: Washington's Native American boarding schools

Could Marysville schools have to close amid 'uniquely perilous' financial troubles?

Attention Washington college students: There's still time to apply for federal aid

Get local stories, delivered to your inbox daily, weekly, or monthly..

• ISU Navigate
• Faculty & Staff
• Virtual Tour

Common Searches

• Academic Calendar
• Transcripts
• Scholarships
• Event Tickets
• Health Center
• APA Style Guide
• Financial Aid

Notice of Fall Fire Evacuation Drills

EHSS Safety Fair Award Recipients

School of Performing Arts and ASISU Offer Free Access to Theatre Productions for ISU Students

The School of Performing Arts at Idaho State University is thrilled to announce that all current ISU students will have the opportunity to attend ISU Theatre Productions for free, thanks to funding from the Associated Students of Idaho State University (ASISU).

Mid-Cycle Evaluation Report

Policies Out for 30 Day Review

Upcoming Legal Training: FERPA

Professor Named First Idaho Occupational Therapist to Earn Board Certification in Geriatrics

College of Technology Instructor Receives Innovation Award on Using Ethical AI in English

University of Idaho Seeking Study Participants

Benny's Pantry Extends Hours and Availability

Idaho State Names Inaugural Esports Team Members

Idaho State University, with the help of a world-renowned coach and a talented group of first-year recruits, has joined schools across the nation in offering an Esports program for student gamers. The players, who will start competing in the fall, solidified their commitment to the team at a signing ceremony this week.

Monday Morning Mentor: How Can I Use My Teaching to Improve Student Study Skills?

Cultural Events Committee Seeks Grant Proposals

New Choral Director to Bring Worldwide Experiences to ISU

Jeffrey Francom, the new Director of Choral Activities at Idaho State, is excited to come back to his family roots. After many years in Logan, Utah, Florida, New York and Argentina, he plans to bring his experiences to his Idaho State students.  

A cross-divisional department spanning

Master of Health Science (MHS) in Environmental Health

Offered By: Department of Environmental Health and Engineering

Onsite or Online | Full-Time or Part-Time | 9 months – 2 years

All EHE Department Programs →

View Bloomberg Program Finder →

View Whiting Program Finder →

• Baltimore Community Outreach and Engagement Projects
• Northeast Market Patron Survey
• Evaluating the Impacts of Energy Options on Baltimore’s Air Quality
• One Health and Asthma Prevention in Baltimore
• Safer Urban Agriculture in Baltimore
• Diversity and Equity Initiatives
• Environmental Health and Engineering Student Organization (EHESO)
• Message from the Chair
• Postdoctoral Opportunity in Neuroscientist/(Neuro)toxicologist
• Postdoctoral Opportunity in Public Health Policy
• Research Assistant
• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering
• Program Objectives and Outcomes
• Why Hopkins?
• Application Fee Waiver Requirements
• Areas of Focus
• Track in Environmental Sustainability, Resilience, and Health
• Track in Exposure Sciences and Environmental Epidemiology
• Track in Health Security
• Track in Toxicology, Physiology and Molecular Mechanisms
• PhD in Geography and Environmental Engineering Faculty Advisers
• Graduate Student Resources
• Jensen Fellowship
• Master of Arts (MA) in Geography and Environmental Engineering
• Alumni Highlights
• Post-Baccalaureate Program in Environmental Health for Pre-Medicine Students
• Master of Science (MS) in Geography and Environmental Engineering
• Independent Professional Project and Final Essay 
• Internships
• ScM Faculty Advisers
• Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Geography and Environmental Engineering
• Postdoctoral Opportunity: Toxicology Policy, Law and Regulatory Analysis
• Quotes from our EHE Alumni
• Climate and Health Certificate Program
• Environmental and Occupational Health Certificate Program
• Food Systems, the Environment and Public Health Certificate Program
• Humane Sciences and Toxicology Policy Certificate Program
• Product Stewardship for Sustainability Certificate Program
• Public Health Preparedness Certificate Program
• EHE Research Retreat
• Aerosol Samplers
• Baltimore Healthy Schools: Impact of Indoor Air Quality on Health and Performance
• Exposure Assessment for Epidemiologic Studies
• Exposures from Oil Spills
• Kirsten Koehler's Research Team
• Occupational Hazard Mapping
• Particulate Exposures in Asthmatic Kids (PEAK)
• Personal Exposure Assessment
• Publications
• Spatiotemporal Exposure Assessment
• Within Baltimore Variability in Pollution
• Current Funding
• Honors and Awards
• Impact of Arsenic on Myocardial Ischemic Injury
• Meet Our Team...
• Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity
• Proteomic Methodologies to Assess Modifications
• Role for TRIM72 in Cardioprotection
• Sex-dependent S-nitrosothiol Signaling
• For Dog Handler Teams
• For Parents/Guardians
• Collaborators
• Dr. Meghan Davis Receives Canine Health Foundation Grant to Study the Health of Dogs
• GIRAPHE Activities
• GIRAPHE Core Faculty
• Summit on Animals, Public Health & Ethics Webcast
• News and Publications
• Eri Togami DVM, MPH
• Steven Sola, MSPH
• The COVET Study Research Goals
• The COVET Study Research Team
• The CoWelf Study
• The Minority Pet-Owner Health Project
• COVID-19 Human-Animal Interactions Survey (CHAIS)
• Climate Change, Pesticide Use, and Exposures
• Computed Tomography and Low-cost Sensor Networks to Reconstruct Spatial Pollutant Distributions
• Decision-making for Risk Management Using Small Data Sets, Mathematical Models, and Heuristics
• Infrastructure for Delivering and Characterizing Airborne Exposures in Exposure Chambers
• Mathematical Modeling of Chemical Exposures
• Meet Ram's Team...
• Modeling of Infectious Diseases
• Exposome Collaborative Investigators
• Exposome Projects
• Exposome Resources
• The Exposome Collaborative @ Johns Hopkins University
• The Exposome Collaborative Background
• The Exposome Collaborative Events and Activities
• Arsenic and other metals: association with cytokine dysregulation and risk of Hepatitis E infection in pregnant women
• Research Team
• Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award
• Mobile Air Pollution Measurement Laboratory
• Air Pollution and Cardiorespiratory Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease
• Biosecurity and Emerging Threats
• COVID-19 Research
• Carcinogens and Cancer
• Children's Environmental Health
• Chronic Disease Etiology and Prevention
• Community Sustainability, Resilience, and Preparedness
• Consumer Product Safety
• Energy Management and Alternative Technologies
• Environmental Chemistry, Microbiology and Ecology
• Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Epidemiology
• Environmental Inequities and Injustice
• Environmental Resource Quality
• Epigenetic Regulation in Environmental Diseases
• Food and Agricultural Systems
• Geomorphology, Geochemistry, and Hydrology
• About the Program
• Conceptual Framework
• Land Use and Energy Issues
• MPH Concentration in Global Environmental Sustainability & Health
• Projects and Research
• Recommended Reading
• Research on Land Use and Public Health
• What the Future Must Look Like
• Novel Exposure Assessment
• Risk Sciences and Public Policy
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Toxicology, Physiology, & Cell Biology
• Johns Hopkins University Water Institute
• Worker Health and Safety
• Teaching and Research Labs at WSE
• The INnovations to Generate Estimates of children's Soil/dust inTake (INGEST) Study
• Centers and Institutes
• Environmental Health and Engineering Doctoral Students
• Full-time Faculty Directory
• Postdoctoral Fellows
• News and Events
• Make a Gift

About the MHS in Environmental Health Program

Want to learn how the environment impacts our health? Consider a Master of Health Science in Environmental Health! Part of the #1 school of public health, this graduate degree program prepares students for careers in medicine, research, advocacy, policy and practice.

One of the School’s shortest degrees, the full-time MHS is a nine-month, coursework-based degree for individuals who want a comprehensive understanding of the association between our environment and health. Students will learn how environmental hazards (not only in air, water and food but also neighborhood and social hazards) affect human health at the individual, population and systems level.

A flexible part-time format is also available.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

MHS in Environmental Health Program Highlights

by peers in Environmental Health Sciences -  U.S. News & World Report

Customizable

Electives offered in 5 different areas

Online or Onsite

Online and part-time options available

Multidisciplinary

Take courses across engineering, business, and more

Areas of Interest

The Department offers courses in the following areas:

Courses in Food Systems, Water and Environmental Sustainability cover the factors that are driving current changes in the global environment and how they can lead to adverse effects on human health at individual and population levels. Through coursework and seminars, students will be exposed to a range of sustainability topics relating to food systems, water quality, use and re-use, the built environment and the multiple impacts of climate change. Research interests can include chemical and biological threats to food safety and water quality and approaches to effective intervention/prevention. This foundation can be used to support plans for subsequent doctoral (e.g. PhD, JD) level training or to pursue a career in government or the private sector. Students interested in this area may also complete the course requirements to receive the Certificate in Food, Environment and Public Health .

Courses in Health Security cover domestic and international health threats, including epidemics, natural disasters, technological accidents, and intentional attacks. Students examine major organizations and initiatives designed to prevent, detect, and respond to health security threats; assess the current status of health security preparedness; and evaluate strategies to enhance health security. These courses are designed for individuals who would like to begin careers in public health and healthcare preparedness, global health security, outbreak and epidemic management, disaster response, and related fields. A subset of courses are taught by faculty from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and informed by the Center’s two decades of scholarship and advocacy on health security policy.

Courses in Population Environmental Health are for students whose research interests involve the use of epidemiologic methods to investigate of the impact of environmental hazards on the health of communities and high-risk populations. Courses in this area provide a strong foundation in epidemiology and biostatistics and the pathways through which environmental chemical and biological exposures lead to detrimental health outcomes. These courses offer skills needed for the use of statistical approaches and introduce students to quantitative skills used in epidemiologic research. Research interests can range from the use of epidemiology to investigate associations between exposure and adverse health outcomes to its applications in risk assessment and environmental health regulatory processes. These courses can be used to support plans for subsequent PhD-level training, applying to medical school with master’s-level research experience or to pursue a career in government or the private sector. Students interested in this area may also complete the course requirements to receive the Certificate in Risk Sciences and Public Policy .

Pre-med courses provide the foundation for students planning to attend medical school. These courses provide a strong understanding of statistics and epidemiology. Elective courses in physiology, advanced toxicology, and environmental and occupational disease not only emphasize knowledge covered on the MCAT but they also differentiate graduates from the typical medical school applicant. Ideal candidates present with a strong foundation in the basic sciences and math. The American Association of Medical Colleges site now lists our MHS as a post-baccalaureate program.

Courses in Toxicology for Human Risk Assessment are designed to match the needs of students with research interests that extend from laboratory-based study of the toxicological and pathophysiological mechanisms of environmental chemical and biological agent exposures to the methods for applying toxicology data to human risk assessment and the development of regulatory policy. Students interested in these courses should have strong backgrounds in the basic sciences and be considering subsequent PhD-level training, applying to medical school with master’s-level research experience, or who may decide to pursue a career in government or private sector research positions.​ Students interested in this area may also complete the course requirements to receive the Certificate in Risk Sciences and Public Policy .

What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree In Environmental Health?

Individuals with this degree go on to work in environmental health policy, climate science, government and NGO settings, continuing graduate study, or medical school. Meet some of our graduates. 

Visit the Graduate Employment Outcomes DashboaRD

Alumni Spotlight: Mona Dai, MHS '17

Mona is a PhD student in environmental science & engineering at Harvard University, working on global pollutants including perfluorinated compounds (PFAS).

Jonathan Josephs-Spaulding, MHS '17

Jonathan is a computational microbiology doctoral student at a German University hospital.

Spotlight: Yinka Bode-George, MHS '17

Yinka N. Bode-George, MHS ’17, leads a national philanthropic nonprofit that transforms sustainability to maximize community impact and achieve environmental justice.

Curriculum for the MHS in Environmental Health

Browse an overview of the requirements for this master's program in the JHU  Academic Catalogue , explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School  Course Directory , and find many more details in the program's Student Handbook.

Admissions Requirements

For the general admissions requirements see our How to Apply page.

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores (GRE, MCAT) are  optional  for this program. The admissions committee will make no assumptions if a standardized test score is omitted from an application, but will require evidence of quantitative/analytical ability through other application components such as academic transcripts and/or supplemental questions.  Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all application components.

Tuition and Funding

Limited number of partial-tuition scholarships

Which degree is right for you?

We have a number of degrees designed to meet various professional and educational goals.

QUIZ: WHICH DEGREE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

DURATION:   9 months full-time, onsite/online;  2 years, part-time, onsite/online

BEST FOR:   Applicants who wish to pursue a PhD or a career in the intersection of environmental and public health

BOTTOM LINE:   One-year program culminates in a short essay

GOOD TO KNOW:   Academic degree focusing on a specific area of public health, typically science-oriented

MHS PROGRAM PAGE

DURATION:  2 years, full-time, onsite

BEST FOR:  Applicants interested in hands-on experiences leading to research careers; good for students considering PhD programs

BOTTOM LINE:  The first year involves classes, while the second year involves full-time research with faculty (based on a proposal from year one), culminating in a thesis

GOOD TO KNOW:  Students get hands-on experience and conduct their own research

ScM PROGRAM PAGE

DURATION :  9 months (onsite) followed by a 7- to 12-month internship

BEST FOR:   Those seeking a career in the field of human health and environmental risk assessment

BOTTOM LINE:   Professional degree focused on fundamental concepts and testing approaches used in classic risk assessment processes

GOOD TO KNOW:   Only program of its kind in the U.S. Students completing the program can also earn the Certificate in Risk Sciences and Public Policy .

MS PROGRAM PAGE

DURATION:   1.5 years full-time (onsite)

BEST FOR:   Applicants with prior coursework in basic sciences who want a career in occupational health

BOTTOM LINE:   Designed to prepare students to pass the Certified Industrial Hygienist Examination

GOOD TO KNOW:   Complete an internship between years one and two to get work experience in industrial hygiene . This program is administered by the Whiting School of Engineering, but all classes are offered through the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

MSOEH PROGRAM PAGE

DURATION:   up to 5 years part-time (hybrid)

BEST FOR:   Professionals currently working in the field who want to advance their career in occupational health

GOOD TO KNOW:   Flexible format; complete independent project at your place of employment . This program is administered by the Whiting School of Engineering’s Engineering for Professionals program, but all classes are offered through the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Questions about the program? We're happy to help. [email protected]

• Visit the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Apply to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Give to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Search Form

School of computing, matc collaborate to improve rail crossing safety using ai.

• Read the full article

Researchers from the School of Computing and Mid-America Transportation Center (MATC) are collaborating to enhance non-motorist safety at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs) under a $10 million USDOT grant. 

This project is a consortium led by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s (UTRGV) University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS), involving multiple institutions, including MATC. The collaboration focuses on developing, testing, and implementing smart technologies to improve rail safety, with industry partners ensuring practical, impactful innovations. The MATC team is set to receive $750,000 over five years to enhance non-motorist safety at HRGCs. Their research, involving AI and statistical techniques, aims to develop models for non-motorist exposure and improve crash frequency models at HRGCs.  Naveed Aman, assistant professor in the School of Computing, joins Aemal Khattak, MATC director and professor of civil and environmental engineering, as leaders of Nebraska's team, which also includes MATC postdoctroral research associate M. Umer Farooq and School of Computing graduate student Moomal Bukhari.

The project seeks to harness artificial intelligence (AI) for automating data collection from video cameras at HRGCs. The work focuses on detecting non-motorist objects and developing more precise crash prediction models. The overarching goal is to design a prototype autonomous risk mitigation system powered by the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI.

Trump and Allies Forge Plans to Increase Presidential Power in 2025

The former president and his backers aim to strengthen the power of the White House and limit the independence of federal agencies.

Donald J. Trump intends to bring independent regulatory agencies under direct presidential control. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times

Supported by

• Share full article

By Jonathan Swan Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman

• Published July 17, 2023 Updated July 18, 2023

Donald J. Trump and his allies are planning a sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of government if voters return him to the White House in 2025, reshaping the structure of the executive branch to concentrate far greater authority directly in his hands.

Their plans to centralize more power in the Oval Office stretch far beyond the former president’s recent remarks that he would order a criminal investigation into his political rival, President Biden, signaling his intent to end the post-Watergate norm of Justice Department independence from White House political control.

Mr. Trump and his associates have a broader goal: to alter the balance of power by increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that now operates, by either law or tradition, with any measure of independence from political interference by the White House, according to a review of his campaign policy proposals and interviews with people close to him.

Mr. Trump intends to bring independent agencies — like the Federal Communications Commission, which makes and enforces rules for television and internet companies, and the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces various antitrust and other consumer protection rules against businesses — under direct presidential control.

He wants to revive the practice of “impounding” funds, refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated for programs a president doesn’t like — a tactic that lawmakers banned under President Richard Nixon.

He intends to strip employment protections from tens of thousands of career civil servants, making it easier to replace them if they are deemed obstacles to his agenda. And he plans to scour the intelligence agencies, the State Department and the defense bureaucracies to remove officials he has vilified as “the sick political class that hates our country.”

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Advertisement