A Hanover Research member district is interested in further promoting physical safety across the district for all community members (i.e., students, parents, staff, and visitors). The district has already implemented many safety measures, including ID badges, window coverings, lock blocks, and an anonymous tip line. However, during a recent LCAP Survey the member administered to its community members, school safety perceptions were less positive than typical, and about a quarter of respondents were unhappy with current practices and overall safety. As such, the district connected with families via coffee chats to learn more about perceptions, and it also developed a school safety taskforce with parent representatives from each site.
The district understands that there is a realm of possibilities when considering how to achieve school safety, and it is seeking an objective view to inform the potential safety measures that are implemented. The district has asked Hanover to explore effective safety measures, including those that the district is exploring, such as increased cameras and/or fencing. Notably, prior to COVID, school gates were open to the public, yet, during COVID, they were closed to prevent the spread of disease and promote physical health. The district had intended to revisit the COVID protocols for gates, but due to the rise of violence and the perceptions of its community, it has been unable to do so. The district seeks to understand how to promote a positive community atmosphere while also instituting physical measures to protect the community.
In this report, Hanover reviews the available secondary literature on best practices for promoting physical safety at school, focusing on safety measures to prevent intruders or active shooters from accessing school campuses. Hanover draws primarily on guidance from the federal government and advocacy and professional organizations focused on school safety. This report includes the following sections:
- Section I reviews facilities to promote physical safety.
- Section II reviews policies and practices to promote physical safety.
