In 2004, former special education teacher Michael Bennett was the victim of a gunshot wound by a student. Twenty years later, he's prioritizing safety as a superintendent.
A deadly school shooting and social media threats are causing disruptions to learning just weeks into the school year. How can leaders respond? Plus, a new look at teachers' impact on reading instruction.
Last school year, we witnessed a 31% increase in incidents of gunfire on school grounds compared to the year prior, Everytown for Gun Safety research reveals.
The first question we must ask is, “What is it, physically, about our schools that leaves us vulnerable?” This question can evoke a variety of responses.
New this week: Uvalde families of victims agreed on a $2 million settlement with the city, districts are getting major bus upgrades and team-based teaching might be the solution to shortages.
Do school boards share the priorities of their district's superintendents? Do they share the same priorities across the country? Burbio has been providing regular updates on the hot-button topics that are priorities at meetings right now.
In this 20-minute DA Ed Talk, a school security expert will outline effective strategies to bolster school safety, using a 5-step approach that will help district leaders prepare for and prevent a future crisis.
Last year, there were a record 346 incidents of a K12 school shooting. In 2024 alone, there's been nearly one a day and at least 37 people have been wounded or lost their lives.
"As school principals and district administrators, you have credibility in your community and trust in your schools and districts that uniquely position you to help save lives," U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona wrote in a letter.
There were at least 346 school shootings during 2023, surpassing the previous year's 308 and 2021's tally of 256, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database.
"When schools close or evacuate for a communicated threat that isn't credible, the perpetrators get exactly what they want," said Mo Canady, executive director for the National Association of School Resource Officers.
Data suggests that we've already surpassed last year's record-high 305 incidents of a shooting occurring on school grounds. This expert says school leaders "have an obligation" to prepare for and prevent these inevitable situations. "We're not going to solve a problem with a technology or hardware product," he says. "Any security technology and target hardening will only be as good as the weakest human links behind them."
Over the last five full school years, 47 of the nation's largest school districts saw a 79% spike in guns found on campus, according to a new analysis from The Washington Post.
The edtech surveillance industry has boomed in recent years for obvious reasons. But researchers argue that the industry is playing on the fears of K12 districts in the wake of school shootings and other threats.
From direct social media attacks to online harassment toward school district employees, administrators are working closely with local law enforcement to keep students safe. Here's what's happened over the past week.
In March of 2022, a 15-year-old Eisenhower High School student shot and killed his cousin in the northeast corner of the parking lot after school. During the incident, miscommunication from security led the other students even closer to the active shooting. It was then clear to this leader that they needed a unified approach to safety.
Although there are signs of improvement, a new Gallup poll suggests fears remain at levels unseen since the late 1970s. What's keeping parents on edge?
"We sadly live in a time when we can no longer ignore the looming shooting threats that continue to plague the US school system," Adrian Public Schools Superintendent Nate Parker said in a statement.
In the wake of high-profile ransomware attacks against some of the largest school districts in the country, administrators are uncovering student and staff data on the dark web months later regardless of whether ransom was paid or not.
"Remember, threat actors do not take a summer break," says James Turgal, Optiv's vice president of cyber risk, strategy and board relations. "Security is a one-time event but a continuous and evolutionary practice."
While the evidence suggests that armed teachers are an unlikely solution to districts' school security needs, where is it technically allowed? See if your state made this list.
"Data breaches have become all too common for public agencies and private businesses alike, and we recognize the impact they can have on individuals," said Matt Smith, interim superintendent of DMPS.
Traditional methods of school security pose several risks for school systems, including the time it takes to adequately screen students as well as alerting staff to non-threatening objects. AI, on the other hand, aims to make this process as seamless as possible.
Teachers remain divided over arming themselves at work, with more than half saying carrying a gun would make their school less safe, according to a new survey by the RAND Corporation.
In what's meant to be a time of excitement and relief is being shadowed by security threats as violence and aggression ramp up among students toward the end of the year.
And there's no sign of it letting up, he says. As this school year comes to an end, a school security expert and an assistant superintendent reflect on how threats against K12 are impacting schools around the country.
Research shows that school climate is one of the best indicators of whether students will report misconduct in their schools. Here's how you can help students feel valued and respected for their efforts to keep their school safe.
As cybercriminals continue to create headaches for K12 school districts, security leaders across different sectors, including education, say there are four prominent tactics used by threat actors to look out for.
Last week in Cobb County, Georgia, students and parents caught wind of a social media post threatening to "make history as the top school slaughter." Here's how administrators can mitigate such risks to ensure a swift recovery.
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