School Security

  • Hallways are empty during school closures in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, in Milton-Union Exempted Village School District in West Milton, Ohio, March 13, 2020, photo by Kyle Grillot/Reuters

    Commentary

    Coronavirus Will Necessitate Changes in Schools When They Reopen

    Schools will likely need to modify their practices so that their teachers, staff, and students maintain social distancing standards whenever they reopen. If a federal agency would create guidance, then educators could focus on teaching students.

    Apr 16, 2020

  • A row of lockers in a high school, photo by Monkey Business Images/Getty Images

    Report

    Secondary Educators Consider Discipline Reform a Priority

    One quarter of principals and 31 percent of teachers surveyed identified discipline reform as one of the top three most important interventions needed in their secondary schools. And those in high-poverty schools were more likely than those in low-poverty schools to do so.

    Apr 9, 2020

  • Security camera in a classroom

    Commentary

    How Can the U.S. Do a Better Job of Keeping Kids Safe at School?

    Many proposals to improve school safety promote the use of technology, such as metal detectors and video cameras. How effective are these devices? The evidence is mixed.

    Mar 26, 2018

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    School-Based Interventions for Reducing Disciplinary School Exclusion

    The evidence suggests that school-based interventions are effective at reducing school exclusion immediately after, and for a few months after, the intervention.

    Mar 15, 2018

  • Sign that reads No Firearms Allowed on School Property

    Commentary

    How to Bring Facts into the Gun Policy Debate

    As debate continues to rage over the causes and prevention of gun violence, it's worth asking how science can help lawmakers and the public resolve longstanding disagreements that have stood in the way of solutions.

    Mar 9, 2018

  • A teacher pointing to a student for talking in class

    Commentary

    Body Cameras on Teachers Are Not the Answer to Classroom Management

    Teachers at two schools in England are wearing body cameras as part of a pilot program aimed at stopping classroom disruption. How they use the cameras could be counter-productive and may even escalate disruptive situations.

    Feb 13, 2017

  • Students in the hall

    Research Brief

    Can Technology Make Schools Safer?

    Concerns about violence have led many schools to seek out safety technologies such as metal detectors, anonymous “tip lines,” and video surveillance systems. How effective are these at helping schools prevent and respond to threats and acts of violence?

    Aug 22, 2016

  • Security camera in a lobby

    Report

    The Role of Technology in Improving School Safety

    School violence can damage both kids' future outcomes and the culture and performance of the school. Safety technologies are one of many approaches to prevent and respond to the problem. What role might they play?

    Apr 14, 2016

  • A no-school sign is pictured at Florence Nightingale Middle School in the Cypress Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, December 15, 2015

    Commentary

    How Terrorist Threats Against LA and New York Schools Exposed Weaknesses

    The handling of terrorist threats on Los Angeles and New York City schools calls into question the ability of national and local government to coordinate a terrorist crisis involving two or more cities.

    Dec 23, 2015

  • Commentary

    Commentary

    Not Every Tragedy Has a Solution

    Published commentary by RAND staff: Not Every Tragedy Has a Solution, in Washingtonpost.com.

    Apr 18, 2007

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    The Role of Schools in Meeting Community Needs During Bioterrorism

    Schools will likely play a critical role in helping communities recover from a bioterrorist attack.

    Jan 1, 2003

  • Testimony

    Testimony

    School Violence Prevention Testimony

    Testimony presented to the California State Assembly Select Committee on School Safety.

    Jan 1, 2001

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Use Teachable Moments to Save Young Lives

    We need to focus on promoting psychological safety in our schools. This article describes such a program at Seeds University Elementary School at UCLA

    Jan 1, 2001

  • Content

    Content

    Melissa Kay Diliberti

    Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND; Ph.D. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School
    Education M.P.P., The George Washington University; B.A. in political science and international studies, University of Michigan