Since the tragic shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, school safety has been a topic of conversation among administrators and law enforcement. In fact, in 2001, the United States Surgeon General called for an investigation into youth violence and protection, as well as prevention programs. In the last 25 years, there has been growth in the field of school safety research in areas of physical “target hardening”, social-emotional learning, and student behavior. However, the inconsistency in research makes it difficult to make evidence-based decisions and to keep up with current trends (Cornell et al., 2021).

Besides the overwhelming amount of research being conducted, there are still major inconsistencies in the training of school staff. There is currently no national standard requirement for school safety in educator training programs. Usually, teachers complete yearly modules on certain safety-related topics, but those modules are dull and repetitive and do not introduce real-world applications. We are all aware of how impactful school safety can be on academic achievement and staff morale, yet safety training is never prioritized.

Moving forward, the goal is to provide safety training for all school stakeholders. This includes training school administration and board members on Comprehensive Emergency Operations Plans, Risk Assessment, Reunification Procedures, FEMA Trainings, and providing table-top exercises for practice. Building-level staff should receive training on the school’s emergency plans and reunification procedures, behavioral threat assessment, social-emotional learning strategies, trauma-informed care, anti-bullying strategies, mental health supports, and first aid and CPR. Parents should receive information regarding school-wide initiatives to combat student behavior, notification systems, and the basics of reunification.

School safety is a topic that must include not only administrators, but the entire community supporting students.