Reducing the Risks

School security measures that can help reduce the risks of terrorism while also reducing the risks of other types of school security incidents:

  • School safety web training systems
  • Visitor management software
  • Properly trained and armed school security and/or law enforcement personnel assigned to schools
  • Training in pattern matching and recognition
  • Involvement of law enforcement, fire service, emergency management and public health officials in school crisis planning
  • External school security assessments conducted by a firm with anti-terrorist qualifications
  • Proximity card systems
  • Training in visual weapons screening
  • Security laminate film
  • Drills which require independent judgement of staff
  • Ballistic laminate film for key glass areas
  • Duress button systems
  • Virtual tours of school facilities for use in emergency situations
  • Emergency notification systems
  • Portable radios for key staff
  • Fencing
  • External numbering of doors
  • The use of Knox boxes to provide keys to first responders
  • Thoughtfully implemented school security camera systems

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Opportunity by Design Framework

    Opportunity by Design

    Educational improvement efforts often focus on curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional development, and intervention systems while treating the physical school building as background. But school design is not a passive backdrop to learning — it is a structural lever for equity.

  • Washington State University Debuts New Engineering Hall

    Washington State University recently celebrated a dedication ceremony for the new Schweitzer Engineering Hall on its Pullman campus in Pullman, Wash., according to university news. The facility measures 66,288 square feet, and its completion marks the first milestone in a larger university effort to modernize the engineering and design district.

  • California Middle School Breaks Ground on Major Renovation Project

    The Hillsborough City School District (HCSD) in Hillsborough, Calif., recently began construction on new multipurpose and administration facilities for Crocker Middle School, according to a news release.

  • R.I. District Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for New Elementary School

    Cranston Public Schools in Cranston, R.I., recently announced the completion of Gladstone Elementary School, according to a news release. The 100,000-square-foot facility serves as a replacement for the 1950s-era former building, and it consolidates the student, faculty, and staff populations of Gladstone and Arlington Elementary Schools.