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tony evers

Wisconsin Governor Signs Three Student Safety Bills Into Law

The legislation addresses the use of seclusion and restraints in schools, suicide prevention hotlines on IDs and a new mental health pilot program.

greg abbott

Texas Governor Announces Effort to Survey Educators on School Safety Needs

500,000 educators will have the opportunity to weigh in on mental health, violence in schools and what they need to make their schools safer.



Teachers’ Unions Say Active Shooter Drills Need Reform to Protect Student Mental Health

The AFT and NEA have released a paper stating that they do not recommend shooter drills and issued six key guidelines for districts that continue to conduct the drills.

penn capitol

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Debate Governors Proposal to Severely Cut School Safety Grant Program

Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed cutting available school security grant funding from $60 million to $15 million, a move that has earned criticism from Republicans.

ucla sign

UCLA Abandons Plans To Use Facial Recognition On Campus After Students Voice Concerns

The university publicly disclosed that it was considering adding facial recognition software to its security operations, but backed away from the proposal after students and faculty voiced their opposition.

florida capitol

Florida House Presents New School Safety Bill Focusing on Enforcing School District Compliance

The legislation includes measures for the state education commissioner to enforce security laws already on the books.

university of missouri

University of Missouri Adopts Student Tracking App For Class Attendance, Worrying Privacy Advocates

Similar technology is already widely in use by other universities to track students’ locations when they arrive for class.

ohio capitol

Ohio Bill Would Create Statewide School Marshal Program

The legislation would involve appointing a chief school marshal and 16 regional marshals to provide security services across Ohio.

central washington university

Washington Governor Proposes Giving Millions To Central Washington University To Improve Security

The university realized that it needed new video security and lock systems last year after false reports of a shooting spread rapidly across campus.

houston isd headquarters

Houston ISD Considers Metal Detectors in Schools After Student Dies In Shooting

The district has not committed to any significant upgrades, similar to the response after the Santa Fe High School shooting in 2018.

governor kim reynolds

Iowa Governor Introduces Plan to Establish School Safety Bureau For Training, Threat Reporting

The government is considering the creation of an app that would allow students and parents to anonymously submit tips about concerning behavior or mental health issues.

school hallway

Parents of Maryland Shooting Victim File Lawsuit Against School Board

The parents of Jaelynn Willey, a student at Great Mills High School who was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend, say that the school knew of his violent behavior and should have done more to prevent her death.

Florida flag

Florida Senate Introduces Bill To Update School Safety Law, Address School Guardian Training Requirements

SPB 7040 would require sheriff’s offices to conduct psychological evaluations before a school employee is trained to be a guardian and limit that training to sheriff’s offices.

Kentucky School Resource Officers Would Be Required To Carry Firearm Under Proposed Legislation

The updates to a 2019 school safety bill would also require officers to be at every school campus where there are one or more buildings rather than every school.

new york school bus

New York Lawmakers Call For Increased Security Funding For Non-Public Schools

The budget request hopes to make Jewish educational institutions safer in the wake of an increase in anti-Semitic attacks.

police response vehicle

Teenager Shot and Killed At Bellaire High School Near Houston

Two suspects were arrested in the case, which the district attorney described as an accident between students who were friends.

dallas skyline

Dallas ISD Increases Security Measures Following Shooting at High School Basketball Game

The district is banning bags at games for the next week and considering the addition of weapons detection devices at event entrances.

school camera

Activist Groups Launch Campaign to Pressure Universities to Ban Use of Facial Recognition

Fight for the Future and Students for Sensible Drug Policy are behind the effort to pressure college administrators to not use facial recognition software on their camera systems.

texas school

Texas School District May Lose $2.3 Million In Phishing Cyber Attack

The scam, which took place in November, is being investigated by the FBI and local authorities.

clemson football

New Orleans Prepares Security Effort For College Football National Championship Game

Local authorities say they’ve been planning the security operation for two years, and are ready to ensure safety at the game between Clemson and LSU.

maine capitol

Maine Takes Steps To Establish School Safety Center

The state Department of Education hired two employees to focus on plans for a statewide policy-focused safety center, an idea lawmakers have pushed for years.

Secret Service Offers Training to Hundreds of Pennsylvania Educators and Safety Officials

More than 200 professionals attended the session, which focused on identifying troubled students and preventing violence.

courtroom

Parents of Student Killed at STEM School Highlands Ranch File Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Three other families, including that of a student who rushed the gunman at the school in suburban Denver, have also filed suit in the wake of their kids’ psychological injuries.

high school football

How Districts Are Addressing A Growing, Underreported Threat: Shootings at School Sporting Events

There have been at least 108 incidents of gunfire at school sporting events since 2013, according to a New York Times analysis.

kentucky capitol

Kentucky Legislature Grapples With High Costs of School Safety Bill

After signing school safety legislation into law, the legislature must now find the millions of dollars necessary to fund more counselors and school resource officers in a tight budget.

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Receives Grant to Study Effectiveness of School Safety Protocol

Researchers will update Colorado’s school safety guidelines and evaluate how educators use the protocol to protect students.

school front

Atlanta-Area Schools Increase Security During First Half of School Year

Here’s how school districts in Georgia’s largest metro area addressed school security with new mental health initiatives, more security staff and the latest technology.

wisconsin capitol

Audit of Wisconsin School Safety Plans Finds Schools Have Few Plans for Parent-Student Reunification

The audit found that 85 percent of Wisconsin school safety plans adequately address at least six of seven emergency situations.

elementary school

Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Address K-12 Cybersecurity Issues

The bill instructs the Department of Homeland Security to assess the threat landscape for school districts, including ransomware, and identify solutions to improve cybersecurity protections.

ohio capitol

Ohio School Safety Center Unveiled At First Official Meeting

A group of administrators and advocates tasked with developing recommendations for school security met for the first time on Tuesday.

Featured

  • Black Hills State University Takes an Open, Scalable Approach to Video Security

    Black Hills State University recognized the need for a centralized video system to improve campus security and streamline operations. The university sought a solution that could unify its main campus with a satellite location, enable cross-department access, and scale with future growth. By implementing open platform video technology, BHSU laid the foundation for a comprehensive, flexible, and scalable security infrastructure. Read Now

  • Pennsylvania School Uses Locked, Rolling Security Grille to Control Spectators, Secure Building

    St. Jude School in Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, is a private Catholic elementary school that serves students from Pre-K through grade 8. Recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, St. Jude offers diverse educational programs designed to foster a nurturing and challenging learning environment, and extracurricular activities like sports are an integral part of promoting teamwork, discipline, and physical fitness. Read Now

  • Fire-Rated Glazing Assemblies Modernize Academic and Social Hub

    In spring 2023, the University of Pittsburgh opened the doors to a seven-story west wing addition to Alan Magee Scaife Hall. The medical school building features several updated lecture halls, labs and classrooms. It also includes team-based learning and small group rooms as well as an entire floor dedicated to medical students. This floor is meant for students to congregate, study and build community. Read Now

  • Access Control Trends Continue to Strengthen School Safety Security

    Class period bells have been ringing across campuses for a few months now, but that doesn’t mean the subject of safety was fully settled before the start of the new school year. As one wise person once said, “It’s a journey, not a destination”. That’s why it remains a leading issue among administrators, faculty, students, and communities. Schools are striving to be at the top of their class when it comes to the ability to control access instantly and securely, monitor suspicious behavior accurately and consistently, and respond to threats immediately and effectively. Ultimately, they aim to provide a reassuring, comfortable, and conducive environment for a rich learning experience. These goals apply whether at a community college in Southern California, a major university in Pennsylvania, or a rural K-12 district in Michigan. Read Now

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