PASS releases updates to school safety and security guidelines

The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) has released the seventh edition of its free Safety and Security Guidelines for K-12 Schools, offering comprehensive best practices for securing school facilities, based on input from subject matter experts across the education, public safety, and industry sectors.

The Guidelines provide school administrators, school boards, and public safety and security professionals with a road map for implementing a layered and tiered approach to enhancing the safety of school environments, along with a tool to prioritize needs.

The guidelines address five physical layers of security for school facilities:

1. District-wide
2. Digital infrastructure
3. Campus perimeter
4. Building perimeter
5. Classroom/interior

Within each layer, the guidelines outline key components, including:

• Policies and procedures
• People (roles and training)
• Architectural elements
• Communication
• Access control
• Video surveillance
• Detection and alarms

Additions and updates to the seventh edition include:

• Adding a Digital Infrastructure layer and a Campus Perimeter layer
• Detailed guidance on Visitor Entry
• More content on physical hardening of facilities
• Expanded information on panic alarm systems
• Added detail about door locks and door devices

Download the latest Guidelines and a matching checklist tool from the PASS website.