Brought to FEN by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

What to Expect from an Assessment

Security assessments provide educational leaders with an audit of existing security conditions and recommendations for improving them at the building and district levels. Assessments also represent a balanced way of looking at school security, without the denial often present before a serious incident or the overreaction which typically follows a crisis. They also offer administrators a guide for both short and long-term security enhancements as a part of their strategic planning process for improving the school climate.

A professional school security assessment should be building and/or district-specific, reflecting an understanding that security needs and strategies often vary by community, district, and school. Checklists, templates, and "cut and paste" evaluation instruments might save an administrator time and money in the short run, but one size does not fit all and, in the end, such haste can be costly.

School security assessments do not, however, provide a guarantee that a security-related incident or crisis will never occur. Assessments also do not provide a panacea to prevent violence. Like any strategy, assessments are one piece of a multi-pronged approach to improving school safety.

While professional assessments identify existing practices that are on-target and should continue, as well as recommendations for procedural changes and new practices to reduce risks, they will not actually do the work for you. Implementing school security measures begins with the leadership of the board, superintendent, and principal, but also requires the full commitment and participation of all staff members (including support personnel), students, parents, emergency service personnel, and members of the broader school community. Security and crisis plans can provide the map, but the route must be followed by everyone.