As school safety has become a growing concern for U.S. schools, school leaders have adopted various approaches to strengthen school security. Some experts argue that this might increase the frequency of interactions with law enforcement and the likelihood of youth ending up in the criminal justice system, and that school security ultimately does more harm than good to the learning environment as a whole. The purpose of this brief is to consider trends in the use of different types of school security measures and to review research evidence on how school security measures may differentially impact students across racial and other identity differences. Because a safe and nurturing learning environment is a fundamental need for all students, this brief is central to the Midwest & Plains (MAP) Equity Assistance Center's goal of ensuring equal educational opportunities for all students.