Safe Places to Learn: Advances in School Safety Research and Practice

Abstract

Although all stakeholders agree that schools must be safe places to learn, there are discrepancies among researchers, policy makers, and the general public about what constitutes school safety, and how best to accomplish the goal of making schools safe. This article reviews what we have learned about components of school safety by examining trends in school disorder and crime in schools from multiple nationally representative samples and surveys. The importance of context and climate are considered, followed by a discussion of what has been learned about promoting school safety in the past decade, focusing on the balance of physical and psychological safety. Finally, this article examines implications and directions for the future of school safety. Impact Statement This article critically reviews research on physical safety and security measures and the evidence base focusing on psychological safety, highlighting the importance of a balanced approach in efforts to promote physical and psychological safety, with particular emphasis on the role of school context and school climate. Empirically informed recommendations to promote school safety include implementing tiered social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health supports, preparing school personnel, and school safety planning and preparedness initiatives. This article features the science that should inform both practice and policies to advance school safety.