Exploring Whether the Associations Between School Security and Student Outcomes Have Changed Over Time

• In Event: School Safety and Security: Emerging Patterns in Policy and Practice

Abstract

It has been nearly 25 years since the Columbine school shooting, which many say marked the beginning of a period of heighted school security in the United States. Although extensive research has examined the consequences of its use on a wide variety of student outcomes, a notable gap persists in understanding whether the associations between school security and student outcomes have changed over time. This study uses pooled cross-sectional data from the School Crime Supplement (2001-2017) to investigate whether the associations between a latent measure of school security and students' academic, behavioral, and social outcomes have changed over time. The results suggest that for most outcomes, associations remained invariant over time, although there were instances where variations were observed. The implications of these findings will be discussed.

Authors

• Alex Widdowson, University of Louisville

• Benjamin W. Fisher, University of Wisconsin

• Thomas J. Mowen, Bowling Green State University

• Samantha Viano, George Mason University

• Aishia A. Brown, University of Louisville

• John H. Boman, IV, Bowling Green State University

• Kristina N. LaVenia, Bowling Green State University

• Holly Kratzwald, University of Louisville