When the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, public safety departments at four-year institutions of higher education in the U.S. were vulnerable. This vulnerability was because of the limited time they had to initiate their pandemic response to help protect their campus communities, and the need to create or revise institutional emergency response…

It was unknown how campus public safety administrators view the relationship between planning and training for incidents when it came to improving campus safety by implementing emergency preparedness and critical response policies and procedures, in combination with comprehensive training for faculty, staff, and students. Therefore, the purpose of…

The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (REMS) has created a list of resources on developing comprehensive and equitable school safety plans that consider the whole child, whole school, and whole community. The list includes the following categories: (1) Equity in School Systems; (2) School-Based Law…

The safety of students and staff is one of the most important responsibilities of a superintendent. This mixed-method study examined school security and emergency management protocols in Nebraska public schools. This study used qualitative perceptual data to compare the importance school superintendents place on safety and security emergency…

Relationships between school administrators and School Resource Officers (SROs) are particularly important with the current emphasis on school safety. The majority of research in this area focuses on the effectiveness of SRO programs; however, there is a dearth of research involving the relationship between school administration and SROs.…

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to examine how the interorganizational relationship between school administrators and law enforcement personnel with diverse cultures, missions, and objectives collaborates to create, implement, and sustain emergency management readiness. The theoretical concept that guided this study…

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…

The overarching goal of schools is to create a safe, supportive environment where students can thrive and learn. This begins with a dedication to students' social and emotional well-being, and effective policies and programs that create a culture of trust. Such a culture provides an optimal learning environment, and is also a proactive step…

To better understand how students perceive their physical safety in school, ACT surveyed high school students who took the ACT® test as part of a national administration in October 2018. Students were asked about their physical safety in school, including: (1) school climate; (2) the types of safety measures their school currently implements; (3)…

A qualitative research study was conducted to identify, describe, and understand the perceptions of administrators of public school districts in northeast Tennessee regarding school safety. Using a semi-structured interview process, the researcher identified emerging themes regarding the factors most associated with safe school districts, the…

This updated and expanded new edition continues the theme of the second edition that presents a framework by which the reader can gain a broader and deeper understanding of the issues involved with campus violence incidents. In order to understand the current state of campus violence, two sources of information must be considered--the factual and…

School safety policies are constantly evolving, often in response to fatal events. After several high-profile and tragic shootings over the past 15 years, school safety has become a major focus for parents, school officials, policymakers and the public nationwide. ECS [Education Commission of the States] conducted a scan of school safety-related…

Although research has explored the effects of protective factors on fostering resiliency within "individuals," the same level of inquiry has not emerged investigating the causes of why high-risk "organizations" are resilient to serious violent delinquency. One type of organization that seems particularly appropriate for…

Campus security and safety is an important feature of postsecondary education. The Department of Education is committed to assisting schools in providing students nationwide a safe environment in which to learn and to keep students, parents and employees well informed about campus security. These goals were advanced by the Crime Awareness and…

On April 16, 2007, Seung Hui Cho, a livid and mentally ill student, shot to death 32 students and faculty of Virginia Tech, wounded many more people, and then killed himself. This incident has impacted college and university campuses nationwide in efforts to seek mentally disturbed students and help them, to have effective emergency teams, as well…