Efficacious K-12 solutions in a challenging, fluid world

Mass attacks continue to lead the news far too often. All are horrific and disturbing, but the heartbreaking tragedies that have unfolded on school campuses touch us the deepest and have the most profound effects on our communities.

NTAC statistics

According to a January 2023 report from the United States Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), K-12 events accounted for 6% of all mass attacks in public and semi-public spaces between 2016 and 2020.

6% may strike some as being a small number, given all the coverage.

Safeguarding schools and campuses

By no means does the statistic diminish the pressing need for K-12 stakeholders to better safeguard their schools

While the finding indicates campus attacks are relatively rare, that doesn’t mean they are any less significant.

And, by no means does the statistic diminish the pressing need for K-12 stakeholders to better safeguard their schools with the most appropriate strategies, technological solutions, training, and other available resources to address vulnerabilities and thwart violence in K-12 schools.

What we are learning about mass attacks 

Questions come up about how mass attacks are evolving and what we’re learning about perpetrators and their tactics. It’s more accurate to describe the circumstances and behaviours as fluid.

There’s no obvious straight line that’s simple to track. However, there is reliable research that shows progress is being made in assessing how a range of observable concerning behaviors may play a factor.

MAPS report

The most comprehensive resource for insights into warning signs is the latest U.S. Secret Service NTAC report cited above that was released early in 2023 titled “Mass Attacks in Public Spaces: 2016 – 2020”.

Called MAPS for short, the report details the extensive research and data behind identifying and recognising behaviours that may (but not always) escalate into attacks.

Help, and guide communities

Sometimes budgeting for higher cost measures but more often, it’s the simpler, lower-cost options

It’s valuable content that has the potential to significantly help professionals with interventions and guide communities that are in the process of improving their safety and security protocols, technology decisions, and training to protect schools and other public spaces.

Research like this is critical and a worthy investment. So is the need to wisely fund physical security solutions. Sometimes that means budgeting for higher cost measures but more often, it’s the simpler, lower-cost options that are the most appropriate, effective, and necessary. 

Taking action 

Parents, faculty, administrators, students, and the public in general rightfully are putting more pressure on school districts, other local education agencies (LEAs), state educational agencies (SEAs), and legislatures.

Stakeholders want to make sure earnest efforts are being taken to assess the status of their schools’ safety and security vulnerabilities, enact remedial measures, and provide much-needed funding. Fortunately, more action is being taken at the local, state, and federal levels.

Minimum safety levels

For example, after Uvalde, Governor Greg Abbott quickly charged the Texas Education Agency (TEA) with assessing public school safety across the state and creating rules to ensure a minimum level of safety on all K-12 campuses.

The Texas legislature also took swift action to strengthen programmes and funding and created an investigatory committee to learn how the perpetrator gained access and to identify points of failure in the response.

School emergency plan standards

Senate Bill 11 proposes creating a new Office of Safety and Security at TEA to work with TxSCC)

November 2022, the TEA proposed updated standards with a strong focus on access control relating to exterior perimeter doors and exterior classroom doors, which must operate as fully intended and remain closed, latched, and locked to prevent unauthorised entry.

Senate Bill 11 proposes creating a new Office of Safety and Security at TEA to work with the Texas School Safety Center (TxSCC) to develop greater requirements and guidance for establishing school emergency plan standards and provides for a conservator to be assigned to districts that fail to meet those standards.

Annual intruder detection audit

The bill also calls for the TxSCC to conduct at least one intruder detection audit annually and another every four years that would include a more detailed vulnerability assessment of campus emergency procedures and access control measures.

In addition, the bill proposes tightening Texas truancy laws; truancy is considered a red flag for school officials that a student might need a school counselor.

Safety and security requirements

House Bill 3, which Governor Abbott signed into law on June 14, also creates new safety and security requirements. Among its provisions, the legislation requires district employees who regularly interact with students to complete evidenced-based mental health first aid training programmes.

And it creates new requirements for security officers at school campuses as well, including the completion of active shooter response training programmes at least every four years that are approved by the Texas Commission on Law. 

Improving public schools

ESSER III dollars are quickly being put to good use under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund

All these efforts are a step in the right direction. While extra time and dollars would have been beneficial for conducting more comprehensive surveys and research, what states like Texas are accomplishing is significant.

Other good news is that the remaining ESSER III dollars are quickly being put to good use under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. The acceleration came on the heels of clarification about how those allocations could be applied to safety and security programmes when part of improving the condition of public school buildings and property.

Fundings for schools

Ideally, any future funding programmes will clarify how the funds can be used for safety and security improvements much earlier in the process so school districts can apply for that funding sooner.

It’s all in the interest of using resources wisely.

Staying efficacious 

Urgent action to create new rules and bills for improving best practices is a good thing.

However, there have been instances, where moving too fast has resulted in ideas or decisions that need more information regarding the practicality, costs, or effectiveness of a solution, even though the intention was good.

Identifying the problem

It’s critical to take the time to clearly identify and define the problem that needs to be solved

That’s why it’s critical to take the time to clearly identify and define the problem that needs to be solved. What’s the intended outcome? What latitude is there for funding?

What alternatives exist? What do the experts advise? What successes have other school districts had in similar situations and deploying similar solution choices? 

Budget allocations

Let’s say there’s a mandate to harden every window and glass door on the first floor of every school with ballistic glass. The budget allocation is $10 million and needs to cover 2,000 campuses across the state.

Given the average cost of ballistic glass, that would only be enough to retrofit about four or five openings per school, which would be a major shortfall when considering all the windows and glass doors that are typically on the first floor of most schools.

Due diligence

The point is that while expediency is important, it shouldn’t come at the expense of due diligence.

It takes earnest consultation with stakeholders and experts as well as evidence-based rationale when it comes to recommending the most effective solutions and protocols for improving school safety and security.

Doing the simple things well 

Plan when the timing and funding will make it realistic and appropriate to move on to the next tier

Often the best solutions are relatively simple and low-cost to procure, install, and maintain, like retrofitting classrooms with door hardware that can be readily locked from either side, lock status indicators to immediately tell if the room is secured, and silent panic buttons that teachers can activate in an emergency.

In short, do the simple things first and do them well. Then plan when the timing and funding will make it realistic and appropriate to move on to the next tier of physical security solutions.

Attack-resistant safety/security film treatments

Many schools are hardening glass with attack-resistant safety/security film treatments, which helps delay and deter intrusions to buy extra time for first responders to arrive.

Some campuses are designing hardened vestibules with ballistic-resistant glass inside main entries to ensure staff safety when screening visitors and contractors.

Access control and video surveillance

Taking extra measures to strengthen auto and pedestrian traffic routing, tightening access control, installing additional video surveillance cameras, and other new technologies are also part of school security strategies.

To find out what security solutions schools across the country have been investing in, see the latest report from the US. Department of Education.

Advanced physical security technology

We keep moving forward producing better and better options that help us fulfill our responsibility

These investments are good signs. At the same time, we know one size doesn’t fit all. We also realise that even though there are plenty of excellent and reasonable solutions available and advanced physical security technology being developed, there is no cure-all.

But the industry is determined never to let our guard down. We keep moving forward producing better and better options that help us fulfill our responsibility as security professionals. 

Programmes start with the right team and tools 

Careful planning requires a collaborative and broad team of school and district stakeholders. It also needs to include input from security solutions providers who offer consultative expertise.

Successful implementation of safety protocols, procedures, and security technology also depends on a commitment to comprehensive staff training that’s followed up with regular updates and refresher sessions. Districts must be ready and able to support and fund such an important commitment. 

PASS Safety and Security Guidelines

Clearways for schools to determine the right solutions based on budget availability, timing, and the issues

Whether a school and/or district/LEA is in the earlier stages of developing a programme or already has one fully in place, it can also always benefit from the free resources, information, and advice available from the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools and its 6th Edition of PASS Safety and Security Guidelines for K-12 Schools. 

Dedicated PASS volunteer advisors have years of valuable school security experience and a rich history of success. Their tiered approach outlines clear ways for schools to determine the right solutions based on budget availability, timing, and the issues they face.

School safety and security

School safety and security will always be a work in progress. It’s an effort that will continue to require further insight into what motivates perpetrators and what mental health professionals can do to intervene.

And there will always be an ongoing need to invest in shoring up physical security and vigilance in ways that won’t detract from a comfortable, positive, and safe learning environment.