The Impact of Physical and Emotional Security on Student Learning

School shootings, though relatively rare as compared to other incidents of school violence, shock the nation’s collective conscience. 

Yet the sheer scale of incidents is staggering:

• According to Everytown research, in the first 10 months of 2024, there were 122 incidents of gunfire on school grounds that killed 34 people and injured 69. 
• Since the massacre at Parkland Elementary in 2018, there have been 215 school shootings, resulting in 137 people killed and 365 people injured, according to an Education Week analysis.  
• The Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s Naval Postgraduate School has tracked these types of shootings in its K-12 School Shooting database since 1970. According to its data, there have been 2069 shootings with 684 fatalities and 1937 people injured due to school shootings over the past 54 years. 

ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS BECOME STANDARD

In the 25 years since the Columbine High School massacre, which left 12 students, one teacher, and the two killers dead, it remains one of the most high-profile mass shootings, but not the deadliest. But the appalling event forced a sea change in school security. Before that shocking day in Aurora, Colorado, school safety drills only covered what students needed to do in the event of a natural disaster or fire. In the immediate aftermath, states enacted and required lockdown and active shooter drills, according to a report from the Federal School Safety Commission. 

For more than a generation, students as young as five years old must practice active shooter or lockdown drills. About 95% of public schools in the United States offered this training in the 2015-2016 academic year, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, with more than 40 states requiring such drills. Research suggests that the drills can negatively impact students' mental health, and educators believe change is necessary to enact procedures to help make the drills less upsetting.

‍STUDIES SHOW ADVERSE EFFECTS ON LEARNING

In addition, a growing body of research reveals that students’ academic performance also suffers, long after a shooting on campus or one that happens near school: 

• After the 2022 “Beltway Sniper” attacks, a study showed significantly reduced school-level proficiency rates between 2% to 5% for Virginia elementary school students within five miles of an attack.
• A 2016 study suggests that high schools where fatal shootings have occurred experience a 5.8% drop in freshmen enrollment, on average, following the event. 
• Researchers in the same study also explored the effect high school shooting had on California students’ standardized test scores and found that scores in math and English declined for students who remained enrolled after the shooting.
• Researchers studied the impact on Texas students’ education and future career earnings in the aftermath of 33 shootings that occurred on school grounds between 1995 and 2016. The analysis revealed that students in grades 9 through 11 who experienced a school shooting were 4.4 percentage points less likely to have jobs when they reached the age of 24 to 26, and their lifetime earnings were projected to be lower. The researchers concluded, “Our estimates imply a $115,550 reduction (in 2018 dollars) in the present discounted value of lifetime earnings per shooting-exposed student.”

STUDENTS FACE FAR MORE THAN GUN VIOLENCE

Yet people outside of the education sector may not consider the wider scope of safety concerns that students, teachers, and administrators face every day at school. The National Center for Education Statistics puts the issue in perspective with the sheer number of incidents that occurred during the 2021-22 school year, including:

• 857,500 violent incidents reported
• 67% of schools experienced at least one violent incident
• 61% of schools reported at least one physical attack or fight without a weapon
• 4% reported an attack involving a weapon
• 71% of high schools reported incidents involving illegal drugs

While school leaders must combat complex challenges to keep kids safe, from gun violence and physical altercations to substance abuse and mental health concerns, it’s a troubling fact that students bear the many considerable consequences. 

Educators agree that combating these issues requires a multifaceted approach that increases access to mental health resources as well as reconsidering a school’s physical defenses. While the current focus on expanding security measures largely involves deploying more defensive tactics, like hardening school facilities by upgrading security with advanced technological solutions and more drills, leaders in education believe it’s important to support and defend students’ mental and emotional health too. 

5 KEY FACTORS IN BUILDING SAFER SCHOOLS

At the 2021 Institute for Education Innovation Summit, a national school superintendent think tank, school leaders considered five key factors to help drive this necessary change. 

1. UPGRADE SCHOOL FACILITIES AS A START, NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION

From keyless door entries and open-door sensors to metal detectors and fewer authorized entries, school facilities are receiving a security rehab. However, community and relationship-building initiatives with law enforcement and social service agencies should factor into the plan.

2. INCREASE IN-SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH STAFFING

A proven way to proactively mitigate and reduce safety issues is for students to build and cultivate supportive relationships with adults at school. This helps students’ feelings of belonging, which in turn fosters their sense of safety to share their fears, as well as potential violent school security threats. This relationship goes both ways, as teachers and staff can also identify possible issues.

3. REVIEW SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OFTEN

School security, threat assessments, and crisis planning should be integrated into the annual strategic planning process. School districts should consider creating school crisis teams as part of their many solutions to help address violence.

Reconsidering active shooter drills is also worth exploring. Since these kinds of drills can increase a child’s anxiety and stress by upward of 40%, it’s worth evaluating how to offer emotional support, either by providing counselors to help facilitate or allowing vulnerable students to opt out. Recognizing that deploying security procedures doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all solution is a considerate approach to ensuring both physical and emotional safety. 

4. ENLIST AND ENGAGE COMMUNITY RESOURCES

It takes a village to raise children, and tapping people and organizations within the local community can help reinforce the belief that safe and secure schools are everyone’s responsibility. Creating partnerships with nonprofit organizations, mental health providers, law enforcement, and media will not only help increase access to care but also ensure critical information can be shared quickly and accurately. 

5. FOSTER TRUST BETWEEN STUDENTS AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS

According to summit attendees, it’s imperative that school districts create trusted partnerships with law enforcement so SROs:

• Receive proper defensive training
• Are skilled in safely de-escalating potentially harmful situations
• Understand local cultural diversity 
• Can provide care for a child in a time of crisis. 

Establishing the SRO’s responsibilities to include a student-support role and involvement in student activities will help students feel safe and deter bad actors at the same time.

Building a safe and secure school environment where students feel empowered to express their emotions not only gives them the confidence to take on new challenges but also creates implicit trust between students and educators. These important relationships work in tandem with physical security efforts that can effectively prevent a potential crisis. 

If you’re interested in getting school security cameras for your campus or have questions about the benefits of LiveView Technologies’ school security cameras, contact our team today for a demo.