How Do We Make Schools Safer?

In the wake of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, communities, advocates, and policymakers across the country are proposing and already implementing different ways to address gun violence in our society—such as passing new gun control measures and improving mental health services in our communities. As a part of these efforts, the question has been raised, how do we make schools safer? Our nation’s top researchers on school safety, as well as the youth, parents, educators, and advocates who experience and work to improve school safety every day, are clear that the most effective
way of creating a safe school community is by improving the sense of connectedness and communication between students, school staff, families, and communities. See Interdisciplinary Group on Preventing School and Community Violence, December 2012 Connecticut School Shooting Position Statement (Dec. 19, 2012); Dignity in Schools
Campaign, Statement on Sandy Hook Elementary (Dec. 21, 2012). Evidencebased practices, like positive behavior supports, social and emotional learning, and restorative practices, all help to improve trust and connectedness and have been shown to reduce disruption and violence in schools, while improving educational outcomes.