Balancing the Components of a Comprehensive School Safety Framework: School Climate, Student Behavior, and Physical Safety

• In Event: NIJ-Day: School Safety Research and Evaluation: What Have We Learned? What Questions Remain?

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers have consistently recognized the need for a comprehensive approach to school safety. Identifying the key components of a comprehensive approach and the ideal way to balance and implement those components, however, has proven challenging. To address this challenge, NIJ's Comprehensive School Safety Initiative (NIJ-CSSI) program awarded approximately $246 million in grants to support nearly 100 research projects on school safety from 2014 to 2017. These NIJ-CSSI projects examined and evaluated a wide range of school safety programs and practices in the three key areas: (1) school climate, (2) student behavior, and (3) physical safety. To date, the Initiative has produced more than 150 publications and several web-based resources. This presentation summarizes and synthesizes the research, highlighting best practices for addressing and balancing the key components of a comprehensive approach to school safety.

Authors

• Sarah Goodrum, Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, University of Colorado Boulder

• Beverly Kingston, Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, University of Colorado Boulder