Our nation's postsecondary institutions are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for the students, faculty, and staff who live, work, and study on campus. Planning for emergencies may be challenging for institutions of higher education (IHEs) because of geography, environment, governance, around-the clock-operations, and…

School shootings are at an all-time high. That's according to the National Center for Education Statistics, which has been keeping track of the numbers for about 20 years. What are schools to do? Is there a "profile" of the typical school shooter that could help us identify those who might commit a shooting in the future? Is there some…

The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (REMS) has created a list of resources on the role of K-12 transportation directors in school safety efforts. The list includes the following categories: (1) Preparing for Emergencies on School Buses--(a) Adversarial and Human-Caused Threats; and (b) Technological…

We report a design case in the context of self-defense training, that was designed by participants of a coach development course for violence prevention coaches for emergency services. The game was designed to foster skill development with regards to the defense against knife attacks in the context of self-defense. Following pedagogical principles…

Although the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools and directed attention to other matters, one issue which had raised concern prior to the pandemic -- the role of lockdown drills in schools -- remains to be addressed as education leaders prepare for the return of students and adults to gathering daily in large groups in schools. By one estimate, 95…

The author, director of UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access, shares results of a study he led exploring how principals in U.S. high schools are responding to five specific societal challenges; he highlights what principals said about the challenge of gun violence in their schools. More school leaders reported their school being…

This conceptual paper demonstrates the potential role of social media in providing students with access to education during emergency situations when schools cannot ensure students' safety or provide safe learning environments. It is based on conceptual analysis that transforms face-to-face education into a cost-free, online educational…

School shootings are the subject of debate in the media and in communities across the United States, and there is much discussion about prevention and the root causes of such attacks. But what does research say about these tragic events and their perpetrators? Do all shooters fit a specific profile? And what meaningful steps can schools and…

It is very important that schools be careful not to scare children about a place where they should feel safe. Thus, it is imperative that any active shooter drill be preceded by extensive education and preparation. Drills should be carefully planned by local police and the school crisis team, and school psychologists' involvement is critical.…

Almost half of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) partner countries are affected by conflict and fragility. This brief report presents how GPE helps them strengthen and rebuild their education systems during and after a crisis so children's education is not interrupted.

When a major emergency event affects a school, school district, or institution of higher education (IHE), there are various functions that responding organizations have to activate in order to respond and recover effectively. Education agencies are particularly unique because they are entrusted to protect the vulnerable populations they serve and…

The decision on how to protect the children and youth while at schools is a serious conversation with varying agreements on the best practices. Some feel that school personnel should not be trained nor expected to be able to react to an armed person while others believe that training of school personnel and allowing them to be armed will deter…

This article reports on the role, activities, and lessons learned of a state mental health authority--the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services--in responding to the mental health needs of families and community members following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Following the introduction, we provide a brief…

In the United States, more than 70 million students are enrolled in public elementary and secondary (K-12) schools or degree-granting postsecondary institutions. School and campus safety and security for these students encompasses many issues, including violence prevention and response, school climate, and the physical and mental health of the…

In the United States, more than 70 million students are enrolled in public elementary and secondary (K-12) schools or degree-granting postsecondary institutions. School and campus safety and security for these students encompasses many issues, including violence prevention and response, school climate, and the physical and mental health of the…