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

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'?
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
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
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
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.
2 min read
Parents await news during an active shooter situation at the Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 27, 2025.
Parents await news during an active shooter situation at the Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, 2025. This is the first school shooting of the new academic year.
Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP
School Climate & Safety Two Children, Ages 8 and 10, Killed in Minneapolis School Shooting
Seventeen people were injured in the new academic year's first school shooting.
4 min read
Students wait to board Metro, Cincinnati’s public bus system, to ride to their second day of school on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Students wait to board Metro, Cincinnati’s public bus system, to ride to their second day of school on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Cincinnati, Ohio. There are many factors school districts must consider before switching to public transit.
Luke Sharrett for Education Week<br/>
Budget & Finance Why Some Districts Are Shifting Teens From School Buses to Public Transit
Cost, safety, and existing infrastructure are factors in determining whether a partnership with a local transit agency could save money.
Jennifer Igbonoba, August 21, 2025
4 min read
Security cameras are seen at ZeroEyes' greenscreen lab for testing and training artificial intelligence to spot visible guns on May 10, 2024, in Conshohocken, Pa.
ZeroEyes, a safety and security company that uses AI in its products, has a greenscreen lab, shown here on May 10, 2024, in Conshohocken, Pa., for testing and training artificial intelligence to spot visible guns.
Matt Slocum/AP
Artificial Intelligence AI in School Security: A New Tool with Big Questions
As school districts think about ways to enhance security, experts say leaders should think about costs and effectiveness.
Jennifer Igbonoba, August 14, 2025
5 min read
Volunteer student actors are led out of a middle school building as the Fountain Police Department conducts a training exercise for law enforcement on June 9, 2017, in Fountain, Colo. A new consensus report recommends schools avoid tactics like realistic simulations or deception when conducting drills for students.
Volunteer student actors are led out of a middle school building as the Fountain Police Department conducts a training exercise for law enforcement on June 9, 2017, in Fountain, Colo. A new consensus report recommends schools avoid tactics like realistic simulations when conducting drills for students.
Dougal Brownlie/The Gazette via AP
Student Well-Being & Movement What Schools Should Do—and Avoid—When Planning Active Shooter Drills
Schools should conduct active shooter drills in a way that minimizes emotional and psychological harm, a new study says.
Evie Blad, August 13, 2025
5 min read
Abbey Clements, of Newton, Conn., speaks during the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago.
Abbey Clements, of Newton, Conn., speaks during the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. Clements co-founded an advocacy group, Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, to amplify teachers' voices on issues like gun control.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
School Climate & Safety Sandy Hook Survivor: Teachers Need a Louder Voice in School Safety Debates
Aspiring teachers also need the opportunity to talk about gun violence during their time in college, Abbey Clements said.
Olina Banerji, July 28, 2025
6 min read
The National Education Association choir sings before the union's annual representative assembly on July 3, 2025, in Portland, Ore.
Attendees of the National Education Association's 2025 representative assembly cheer during a speech by NEA President Becky Pringle on July 3, 2025, in Portland, Ore. Delegates voted on a wide range of measures, including some related to teacher safety, immigration, and cellphones.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Trump Looms Large as the Nation's Largest Teachers' Union Sets Its Priorities
During its annual meeting, the NEA strategized about its response to federal education policies.
Sarah D. Sparks, July 6, 2025
8 min read
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon listens to members of the Principal Recovery Network during their annual meeting on June 9, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon listens to members of the Principal Recovery Network during their annual meeting on June 9, 2025, in Washington.
Courtesy of Allyssa Hynes/NASSP
Education Funding Principals Urge Ed. Department: Leave School Safety Funding Alone
Schools need access to funds for mental health professionals and other student services, say principals who've experienced school shootings.
Olina Banerji, June 13, 2025
5 min read
Tightly cropped photo of a mother or teacher holding holding a young elementary school boy's hands as they sit on school steps, offering comfort and support. The boy is wearing a bookbag.
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School & District Management From Our Research Center What Schools Do When Parents Don't Pick Up Their Kids
What schools do when parents don't pick up their kids can vary considerably, according to a new survey by the EdWeek Research Center.
Arianna Prothero, May 23, 2025
3 min read
Image of two school buildings with cones, cameras.
Collage by Liz Yap for Education Week via Canva
School Choice & Charters Then & Now The Trump Admin. Is Reviving This School Choice Option You've Never Heard Of
A little-known provision allows students to transfer out of schools deemed "persistently dangerous." Choice advocates say it's been underused.
Evie Blad, May 21, 2025
8 min read