School Safety

Education news, analysis, and opinion about keeping students safe in the school building from bullying, violence, and environmental hazards, among other things

Explainer

Greeley Police Officer Steve Brown stands in the hallway during passing periods at Northridge High School in Greeley, Colo. on Oct. 21, 2016. While school resource officers, like Brown, are expected to handle responsibilities like any police officer they're faced with unique challenges working day-to-day in schools
School Resource Officers (SROs), Explained
Does the presence of armed officers prevent school violence? Do they contribute for Black children to the 'school to prison pipeline'?
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Protesters demonstrate against ICE agents near the the Whipple Federal Building on Jan. 8, 2026.
Protestors gather after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, on Jan. 7, 2026. The incident later prompted the Minneapolis school district to cancel classes amid broader federal immigration operations.
Richard Tsong-Taatarii/The Minnesota Star Tribune via TNS
School & District Management Minneapolis Schools Close in Wake of Deadly Shooting, Immigration Enforcement
The districtwide closure marks a departure from schools' responses to ICE presence.
Ileana Najarro, January 8, 2026
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6 min read
Sign indicating school zone.
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School Climate & Safety Tracker School Shootings This Year: How Many and Where
Education Week is tracking K-12 school shootings in 2026 with injuries or deaths. See the number of incidents and where they occurred.
January 1, 2026
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3 min read
Photo of stone columns.
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Law & Courts Federal Appeals Court Upholds 8th Grader's Expulsion Over Gun Comments in Class
Shortly after a nearby mass school shooting, a student allegedly discussed bringing a gun to school.
Mark Walsh, December 22, 2025
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3 min read
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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School Climate & Safety Whitepaper The Future of School Safety
This report provides sensible answers and concrete solutions to help educators make evidence-based decisions to improve campus security.
Content provided by T-Mobile for Education
Wed., December 03, 2025, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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School Climate & Safety Webinar GoGuardian and Google: Proactive AI Safety in Schools
Learn how to safely adopt innovative AI tools while maintaining support for student well-being. 
Content provided by GoGuardian
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Crowd of people with a mosaic digitized effect being surveilled by AI systems.
Peter Howell/iStock
School Climate & Safety Opinion Handcuffed for Eating Doritos: Schools Shouldn’t Be Test Sites for AI ‘Security’
A teen was detained at gunpoint after an error by his school’s security tool. Consider it a warning.
J.B. Branch, November 12, 2025
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4 min read
Shadow on the wall of girl wearing backpack walking to school
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety Opinion Behavioral Threat Assessment: A Guide for Educators and Leaders (Downloadable)
Two specialists explain the best course to prevent school violence.
Jillian Haring & Jameson Ritter, November 7, 2025
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1 min read
A faculty member at Findley Oaks Elementary School holds a Centegix crisis alert badge during a training on Monday, March 20, 2023. The Fulton County School District is joining a growing list of metro Atlanta school systems that are contracting with the company, which equips any employee with the ability to notify officials in the case of an emergency.
A faculty member at Findley Oaks Elementary School holds a Centegix crisis alert badge during a training on Monday, March 20, 2023. Emergency alert systems have spread quickly to schools around the country as a safety measure. The nation's largest district is the latest to adopt one.
Natrice Miller/AJC.com via TNS
School Climate & Safety New York City Is the Latest to Deploy Panic Buttons in Schools
The nation's largest district is the latest to adopt emergency alert technology.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, October 31, 2025
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4 min read
Sylvelia Pittman stands for a portrait outside of Nash Elementary School in Chicago on Oct. 30, 2025.
Sylvelia Pittman stands for a portrait outside of Nash Elementary School in Chicago on Oct. 30, 2025. She spoke with Education Week about the fears she is grappling with regarding immigration raids and federal agents' increased presence near her school.
Jim Vondruska for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Q&A Inside the Fear at Chicago Schools Amid Federal Immigration Raids
Sylvelia Pittman has never experienced something like the current federal crackdown in her city.
Ileana Najarro, October 31, 2025
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5 min read
A photo showing a CCTV security eye style camera monitoring students in a classroom. The classroom is blurred in the background while the camera is in focus.
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety Download How to Use School Security Cameras Effectively: 5 Tips (DOWNLOADABLE)
Smart, thoughtful use of security cameras can help bolster the safety of schools, experts say.
Arianna Prothero, October 15, 2025
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1 min read
A camera with facial recognition capabilities hangs from a wall while being installed at Lockport High School in Lockport, N.Y., on July 10, 2018.
A camera with facial recognition capabilities hangs from a wall while being installed at Lockport High School in Lockport, N.Y., on July 10, 2018. Lackluster maintenance of security cameras in many schools compromises their effectiveness.
Carolyn Thompson/AP
School Climate & Safety From Our Research Center Security Cameras Are Everywhere in Schools. Do They Work?
The effectiveness of security camera systems is often compromised by lack of investment in upkeep and training.
Arianna Prothero, September 30, 2025
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6 min read
Photograph of closed lockers in a school hallway, in the distance a there is a blurry figure.
Drew Bloksberg/iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety Professional Learning Guide Your Guide to School Safety
Our professional learning guide brings together research, strategies, and lived experiences to help you approach school safety with confidence and care.
September 26, 2025
Depressed young male person sitting outdoors alone suffering from problems. Surrounded by a network of teams and individuals looking out for signs and ways to intervene.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty Images
School Climate & Safety Opinion ‘This Kid Scares People’: A Behavior Specialist Shows Her Reality
Real school shooting prevention doesn't come from splashy announcements about a policy change.
Jillian Haring, September 4, 2025
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4 min read
People gather at a vigil at Lynnhurst Park after a shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School on Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis.
People gather for a vigil at a local park after a shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School on Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis.
Bruce Kluckhohn/AP
School Climate & Safety Stepped-Up Security and Outreach: How Schools Are Responding to the Minneapolis Shootings
District leaders are working to assuage fears in their communities.
Lauraine Langreo & Maya Riser-Kositsky, August 28, 2025
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2 min read
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