With the tragedies of school violence igniting calls for increased safety and security, one popular proposal is to use metal detectors in schools. To address questions about what impact such devices may have on day-to-day safety and on what happens during school violence events, this research brief summarizes what is known about metal detectors in…

Despite their proliferation in schools across the U.S., the impact of lockdown drills on students remains largely understudied. Despite their goal of preparing students -- along with teachers and school staff -- for situations like the 2018 shooting in Parkland, FL, questions have been raised in both the public and academic discourses about…

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…