School shootings, a tragic occurrence throughout history, have garnered heightened attention in recent decades, largely due to widespread media coverage and the rise of social media platforms. Recent school shootings have created an increased need for school safety and security. Schools have added cameras, metal detectors, electronic door locks,…

The United States of America has a unique problem of school shootings. The victims of school shootings are robbed of their futures at the very institutions attempting to prepare them for college, career, and citizenship. These shootings have inspired massive, costly security upgrades in American schools. This target hardening is one way to prevent…

Anti-transgender school policies have proliferated in the United States from 2019 to 2024, impacting school climate for transgender and nonbinary learners. In this quantitative study, we examined differences in the experiences of school climate factors (e.g., safety, mattering, mental health outcomes, etc.) between male, female, and nonbinary high…

Perceptions of a safe and supportive school environment are imperative to the well-being of all students. Positive perceptions of school safety and supports may be especially important for students attending boarding schools, given that many of these students live on school grounds. However, these experiences have rarely been studied for boarding…

This poll was conducted between February 27-March 6, 2024 among a national sample of 1,002 Teens. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of Teens based on gender, age, race, and region. Results from the full survey have a measure of precision of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Among the…

School safety has become central to the educational goals and missions of schools on almost every continent (Astor & Benbenishty, 2018). Equally important is supporting the social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students. School counselors have specific training to help students navigate the challenges of distance learning and…

Drawing upon an ongoing school mental health survey being conducted in California, this article examines associations between high school students' mental wellness, including covitality (as measured with the Social Emotional Health Survey--Secondary), and school safety perceptions and experiences. Student self-reports reveal a strong positive…

Across time, frameworks for assessing school safety have failed to acknowledge the harm that institutional racism in school inflicts upon Black students. Such frameworks coupled with disparate outcomes resulting from policies meant to increase safety in schools have long begged the questions, "What does school safety look like for Black…

The response patterns of youth who witness bullying have potential to influence future occurrence and persistence of bullying behaviors. Prevention efforts have included an increased focus on bystander interventions; however, the majority of adolescents rarely intervene in bullying situations. When they do, they often display of mixed pattern of…

To better understand the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation, this report presents data drawn from the California Healthy Kids Survey (2017-2019) regarding high school students' social and emotional well-being, school experiences, engagement, and their perceptions of the supports they received at school. With…

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)…

This hearing from the Subcommittee on Children and Families of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines the support of mental health in the transition from high school to college. Opening statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Robert Casey, Chairman, Subcommittee on Children and Families; and (2) Honorable Bill…

This study examined the strength of associations between multiple aspects of school climate and adjustment outcomes among a group recently identified as being at risk: youth attending high-achieving schools (HAS). Using three diverse high schools as samples (n = 2,508, 49% female) -- one boarding, one private, and one public school -- links with…

The full GLSEN 2021 National School Climate Survey report includes information on LGBTQ middle and high school students' experiences, including: (1) Hearing biased language, from both students and educators; (2) Experiences of harassment and assault; (3) Anti-LGBTQ discrimination; (4) Effects of a hostile school climate on educational outcomes and…

This is the executive summary for the report, "The 2021 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of LGBTQ+ Youth in Our Nation's Schools." The full GLSEN 2021 National School Climate Survey report includes information on LGBTQ middle and high school students' experiences, including: (1) Hearing biased language, from both students…