SchoolSafety.gov: Your Go-To Resource for Creating Safer Schools

11/17/2023 Blog Post

SchoolSafety.gov: Your Go-To Resource for Creating Safer Schools

children seated at desks in a classroom with a teacher in front of the whiteboard.

Ensuring the safety and well-being of students and educators is a top priority for school districts across the United States. In recent years, various government agencies and organizations, including our own Center of Excellence, have come together to help schools create safe and supportive learning environments.

In our commitment to enhancing school safety, SENTRY has launched the School Security Case Study. We’re working directly with schools and security stakeholders to understand the unique security needs of educational institutions. Our team includes SENTRY researchers, technologists, government agencies, and seasoned school security professionals to develop practical and valuable tools and technologies.

Our school partners have generously contributed critical insights and understanding related to school security by engaging with SENTRY through our school security focused events and offering researchers campus site visits, opportunities to observe safety drills, and tabletop exercises. This collaborative journey with our school and government partners is essential as we work towards the realization of school-specific Virtual Sentry Framework solutions.

We are dedicated to the creation of safer learning environments for students, educators, and all who are involved in the educational ecosystem. Similarly, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) School Safety Task Force administers SchoolSafety.gov on behalf of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse and its four U.S. Departments: Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice, to serve as a central hub for actionable recommendations and resources aimed at creating safer schools.

Whether you’re looking for guidance on emergency planning, addressing bullying and cyberbullying, promoting mental health, or enhancing physical security, SchoolSafety.gov has you covered. Read on to explore some of the resources and information available.

Tailored Resources for Key Components of School Safety

Creating a safer school environment is a collective effort that involves the dedication of educators, administrators, parents, and students. SchoolSafety.gov and other federal initiatives provide a wealth of resources, guidance, and opportunities to strengthen school safety measures, support student and educator mental health, and promote a positive learning environment. By utilizing these resources, schools can take proactive steps towards ensuring the safety and well-being of all students and staff members, ultimately fostering a conducive atmosphere for learning and growth.

Click below for guidance, information, and resources by topic;

Bullying and Cyberbullying: Reducing bullying in schools requires a multi-faceted approach, including identification, prevention, immediate response, and appropriate support for serious incidents, as well as attention to cyberbullying and online harassment, including gender-based harassment and violence.

Child Exploitation: To prevent and address child exploitation, school leaders can provide training and resources on the risk factors and indicators of child exploitation so that teachers and school staff can recognize potential cases, as well as offer age-appropriate safety education programs for students and engage with parents to raise awareness of the issue.

Cybersecurity: School districts can take several steps and actions to better protect against cybersecurity risks. These include investing in impactful security measures, such as enabling multi-factor authentication and installing software updates, as well as implementing a cybersecurity awareness and training program to educate students and staff on the ways to recognize and report suspicious activity.

Emergency Planning: Schools must be prepared to face a range of emergency events, including natural disasters, crime-related incidents, and accidents. Emergency planning is a key component of school safety that can include large-scale actions or everyday activities that help build a safe school environment.

Infectious Diseases and Public Health: Schools can face challenges to sustaining safe and healthy in-person learning due to potential outbreaks of infectious diseases. While outbreaks and other public health concerns may be unpredictable, K-12 schools should put in place a core set of prevention strategies as part of their normal operations.

Mental Health: Students often come to school with complex physical and mental health concerns or social service needs. Schools are critical partners in supporting the mental health and well-being of students and should create a positive, safe, and affirming learning environment.

School Climate: A positive school climate reflects attention to fostering social and physical safety and encouraging and maintaining respectful, trusting, and caring relationships throughout the school community. Schools and districts should implement social, emotional, and behavioral support systems to create a climate that supports and responds to student behavior and well-being needs.

Targeted Violence: Schools can actively work to address the threat of targeted violence through a variety of prevention, intervention, protection, and mitigation measures, and provide resources and support after an incident to restore safety, security, and a positive environment for students and educators.

Threat Assessment and Reporting: Guidance on identifying, reporting, and addressing concerning student behaviors and other suspicious activities can help stop violence before it occurs.

School Safety Webinar Series

Presented by the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse, this webinar series is designed to tackle the evolving risks and challenges confronting the K-12 school community. These webinars encompass a diverse array of school safety subjects, offering insights into the wealth of resources, tools, and optimal approaches that can be harnessed to fortify and enhance school systems for greater safety and resilience. Explore the latest episodes below:

Grant Opportunities and Upcoming Events

To further support school safety efforts, SchoolSafety.gov provides a Grant Finder Tool and a comprehensive listing of Upcoming Events. These opportunities can help schools and districts access the resources and funding needed to enhance safety measures.

News