Statement of Principles on School Facility Safety and Security

Policy Status

  • Type: Statement of Principle
  • Status: Final
  • Date Introduced: November 29, 2023
  • Date Finalized: December 22, 2023

Issues

  • Homeland Security
  • Education

    • Task Forces

  • Homeland Security
  • Education and Workforce Development

    • Tags

  • SNPS 2023

    • Summary

    We recognize the presence of violence every day in America’s schools in across all communities regardless of economic condition or level of school. A holistic and comprehensive approach to bolstering school safety and security is required to address this reality. While there are many causes behind school violence, and many components to the solutions, addressing vulnerabilities at our facilities is one of the areas where we can take immediate action. When other prevention efforts fail, measures that address security vulnerabilities can help deter, limit and enhance the response to school violence. Modern, effective security infrastructure is one of many essential components to a comprehensive approach to school safety. Schools should be the safest environments for our children and those responsible for their care and learning outside of our homes. This does not involve turning our schools into prisons or fortresses, but there is no reason they cannot be as safe as our workplaces and homes. There has not been a death in a school from a fire since the 1950s. That is a direct result of industry and government coming together to create life safety codes based on proven practices and state-of-the-art materials and technologies, and an example of what might be possible from similarly focused efforts to secure our schools. As legislative leaders, policy makers, and responsible corporate citizens our responsibility goes beyond simply good governance. We have a moral obligation to protect our children and those responsible for their care and learning. They are our future.
    Draft

    Statement of Principles on School Facility Safety and Security

    Therefore, consistent with these objectives, we have developed the following principles regarding school facility safety and security:

    (i) Schools are a vital part of our national critical infrastructure and need to be protected accordingly. Nationally, there are about 130,000 K-12 public schools, serving roughly 56 million students and over 6 million teachers and support staff. School campuses occupy over 2 million acres of public land and about 7.5 billion sq. ft of built space. The average age of school facilities is nearly 50 years according to the National Council on School Facilities, yet K-12 public schools represent the second largest infrastructure outlay behind highways. School facilities are recognized as critical infrastructure in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security National Infrastructure Protection Plan, and schools are a focal point of refuge and recovery in times of emergency and a place of joy, pride, and accomplishment for communities.

    (ii) Elected leaders have a responsibility to take action to assist efforts to ensure schools are safe and secure from violence, threats, and anyone who seeks to do harm to students and those who care for them. We recognize the plague of violence affecting our schools and call for our nation and communities everywhere to come together to protect our children and those who care for them.

    (iii) States should encourage schools to implement appropriate school safety measures and standards for securing school facilities according to best practices, and provide financial assistance that enables them to so.  Such practices relating to physical security are catalogued in the federal clearinghouse SchoolSafety.gov and include the Guidelines for K-12 Safety and Security from the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS), which are also recommended under the Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice. Fewer than half of states have given any direction to local schools and school districts regarding solutions for securing their facilities that are based on experience, proven technologies, or best practices. Nonetheless, many states have begun providing grant funding specifically for school security improvements. While most decisions should be localized, it is incumbent on states to assist local schools with resources, including financial assistance, and best practices alike.

    (iv) Security solutions should be safe, affordable, and proven. A layered approach to security, from the district level down to the classroom, is essential to addressing a broad range of threats, to deter, detect, or delay, and respond if other layers or bypassed or breached. Needed solutions range from the simple to the complex. We know from many incidents that being able to lock a classroom door from the inside saves lives, and not having this ability costs them. Yet, we also know many school classrooms today still do not have this basic ability. Administrators must take care not to create new hazards by implementing measures that are ineffective, unproven or counterproductive. Schools should listen to public safety experts like fire marshals and trained security professionals and law enforcement when considering solutions.

    (v) Technology is a key component to enhancing school safety and security. Today’s school safety and security challenges are multifaceted, ever evolving, and unique. While many low-cost solutions and accompanying policies and procedures form the basics of effective K-12 facility security, the enhancements that modern and widely available technologies provide cannot be ignored, especially those that can help speed response or prevent an incident before it occurs. While there is no single action or piece of technology that will, by itself, make our schools safe, using security technology to protect students and staff can be an effective part of a comprehensive approach coupled with enhanced policies, routines, and procedures for effective implementation.