The display of antisocial behavior by children and youths in America is recognized as one of the most pressing concerns facing educators today. To meet the educational needs of these students while maintaining safe school environments, school districts across the nation have increasingly looked toward alternative educational programs.…

The new microprocessor-based fire alarm systems can help to control smoke movement throughout school buildings by opening vents and doors, identify the burning section, activate voice alarms, provide firefighters with telephone systems during the fire, and release fire-preventing gas. (KS)

Reports on research that has identified an appropriate policy model for emergency anticipation in high schools that was developed from an analysis of the literature and the law. Presents a model emergency anticipation policy for high schools together with policy statements in first aid, respiratory equipment, fire, chemical storage, and waste…

Physical measures such as weapons checks and metal detectors are inadequate to forestall school violence. The key to managing crises is a trained, broad-based crisis-intervention team and a crisis-management plan. Team responsibilities include developing an intervention plan, coordinating with community services, educating and training staff, and…

Describes the planning, implementation, and evaluation of school-based Wellness Centers operated by the Riverside Unified School District in Riverside, CA, as part of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. Describes the program as planned in terms of the theoretical model for the intervention and the evaluation design, and discusses the…

Provides an introduction to the research base for violence prevention as well as an introduction to comprehensive school-based planning for violence prevention. Addresses the role of the school counselor in facilitating such a planning process, particularly the role of collaborative consultant to initiate this process in the community. (Contains…

The purpose of the report is to inform students, parents, school personnel, and officials of the legal issues related to harassment, bullying, and discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. This report describes existing research on the current school climate for LGBT youth as well as the harmful effects of…

Thirty-one critical questions about asbestos, its use in school buildings, and the risks it poses to health are answered in this booklet. Issued by the Safe Buildings Alliance, an incorporated association of manufacturers that once supplied asbestos-containing materials for building construction, the booklet's purpose is to provide information…

New studies from the 1990s have strengthened an already notable consensus on school size: smaller is better. This policy brief outlines research findings on why size makes a difference, how small is small enough, effective approaches to downsizing, and key barriers. No agreement exists at present on optimal school size, but research suggests a…

The summary of research in this brief is, for the most part, guided by the work of M. Chesney-Lind and her associates. Overall, the brief reviews the extent of girls' delinquency and violence, the ways they differ from boys, the contributing factors, and effective program strategies to prevent female delinquency. In 1994, arrests of girls…

Describes actions taken by the Missouri School Bus Contractors Association to resolve bus-handrail defects. Describes cooperative efforts to develop national standards from 1936 to the present, public perceptions of school-bus safety, and recent improvements and requirements in school bus safety. (LMI)

Presents the thesis that Consciousness-Based education, including the practice of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, can be a highly effective tool for reducing or eliminating violent behavior in schools. Reviews research demonstrating that practice of the technique reduces 23 identified risk factors for crime in four broad…

PROJECT BLUE was funded during the first phase of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative and proposed to provide students in its District with a range of services to improve school safety, decrease school violence, decrease alcohol and drug use, and improve student mental health. Selected results are highlighted and lessons learned from the…

Provides a knowledge base for school counselors on the issues of peer-on-peer abuse problems and their potential escalation to actions that carry serious long-term consequences. Includes a brief review of bullying and harassment problems and the role they play in the escalation of violence against self and others, and a profile of common…

Discusses the Dallas Public Schools' procedures for assessing the potential for violence among children who express intent to harm others. The Dallas Violence Risk Assessment (DVRA) was developed to evaluate students who have made threats of violence, and to assist school staff in determining appropriate intervention strategies. Describes the…