Federal Agencies to Create School Safety Clearinghouse (August 11, 2019)

According to Education Dive, in response to pressure from parents who lost children in the February 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, federal agencies will release a clearinghouse of school safety best practices this fall, allowing administrators to learn from their peers. However, stakeholders are disagreeing when it comes to how to keep schools safe. Policymakers support security devices like cameras, locking mechanisms, and other physical safety features. Researchers lean towards preventative measures to address such things as student depression, bullying, and suicidal tendencies. Also, local schools are encouraged to conduct a security assessment of their premises to facilitate informed decision making. Regardless, federal agencies plan to launch a school safety clearinghouse in the fall of 2019 to bring together “best practices” for schools seeking to maintain a safe school environment and to prevent and/or deter student violence. To read more on this issue, click here.