What makes a school feel safe? ASU researchers weigh in
Concerns about school safety extend beyond shootings and other acts of physical violence. National data also point to significant mental health challenges facing young people, such as exposure to violence, fighting and bullying. Photo courtesy of iStock
Story highlights
- A student's sense of safety at school goes beyond protection from physical harm.
- Safe schools are essential to the learning process.
- The SHARE Schools Initiative helps train teachers and administrators to create safe school environments.
School safety is a growing concern for many students and parents.
According to the K–12 School Shooting Database, more than 230 incidents were recorded in 2025. At colleges and universities, the Violence Prevention Project identified 280 homicides from 2000 to 2025, resulting in 370 deaths and 272 injuries.
But concerns about school safety extend beyond shootings and other acts of physical violence. National data also point to significant mental health challenges facing young people.
In 2023, the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 40% of high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness that caused them to stop participating in their usual activities for at least two weeks.
“That represents a significant level of emotional and psychological distress, and comes amid broader concerns about youth suicide over the past decade,” said Sarah Lindstrom Johnson, a professor at Arizona State University’s T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics. “These challenges also have implications for education, as students’ mental health and academic performance are closely connected.”
The Sanford School’s Safe, Healthy, Accessible, Resilient and Equitable, or SHARE, Schools Initiative examines the factors that contribute to school safety and student well-being.
With students of all ages heading back to school this fall, ASU News spoke with Lindstrom Johnson and Anthony Peguero, a Foundation Professor at the Sanford School and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, who together created the SHARE Schools Initiative.
In the following Q&A, they discuss what it means for students to feel safe at school — and what schools can do to create safer places to learn.
Note: Answers have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Question: When we talk about a student feeling “safe” at school, what does that actually mean? What makes a student feel safe at school?
Lindstrom Johnson: When parents, students or educators think about school safety, their first thought is often physical safety, including the possibility of a school shooting. But school safety needs to be understood more broadly to include both physical and psychological safety.
Psychological safety means that students feel accepted and valued enough to ask for help, make mistakes and express their thoughts or concerns without fear of negative consequences.
National data underscore why this broader perspective matters. About 10% of students report missing school because of safety concerns, while roughly 20% report experiencing bullying at school.
Expanding our definition of school safety also changes how we think about creating safer schools. Protecting the physical boundaries of a school is important, but it is not enough. Schools must also foster positive and healthy relationships within the building so that students feel both physically and psychologically safe.
Q: What elements make a school unsafe?
Peguero: The main concerns that arise when students report “feeling unsafe” include exposure to violence, fighting and bullying, substance use and mental health challenges. Evidence-based prevention and intervention programs can reduce the likelihood of violence while also mitigating its negative effects on students’ academic outcomes and overall well-being. More broadly, a substantial body of research points to the value of addressing these concerns through a comprehensive school climate approach.
School climate encompasses students’ perceptions of safety, their engagement and sense of belonging at school, and the broader school setting. A multifaceted approach to school safety addresses each of these dimensions, including school policies and practices, relationships among students and educators, partnerships with families and communities, and the resources available to educators.
Q: How can a school determine whether students actually feel safe? What do you measure or look for?
Lindstrom Johnson: While schools can track incidents of physical violence through disciplinary referrals and other administrative data, understanding whether students actually feel safe can be more difficult. Schools often use surveys of students, staff and parents to better understand perceptions of safety and the broader school climate. Youth advisory boards and parent organizations can also provide important perspectives, helping schools identify areas of concern, understand emerging needs and gather feedback on current or proposed school safety initiatives.
Q: What is the SHARE Schools Initiative?
Peguero: (The) initiative brings researchers and practitioners together to help schools better understand those factors and create safer, more supportive environments for students.
Too often, professionals can become siloed, focusing on a specific outcome or job responsibility and losing sight of the fact that they are all working with, and for, the same young people.
We have built a growing community of researchers committed to this work, and next spring we will travel to Washington, D.C., to learn how to more effectively communicate with policymakers about the resources and support schools need. At the same time, we remain committed to building a space here in Arizona that brings together state leaders, community organizations, educators, families and students who share the goal of creating schools that are safe, healthy, accessible, resilient and equitable for every student.
Q: What do schools commonly misunderstand about school safety?
Lindstrom Johnson: The challenge is that, understandably, schools can become intensely focused on preventing the next mass shooting. These events are devastating tragedies, and ensuring that students and educators are protected from such threats is essential. At the same time, some security measures can have unintended consequences and, if not implemented thoughtfully, may create additional harms for students. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently developed consensus guidance on school safety to help schools and policymakers consider approaches that promote safety while also supporting students’ well-being and creating healthy school communities. Anthony served as a member of the committee that developed the consensus guidance.
Q: If a school wants to be safer, where should it start?
Peguero: Schools should establish multidisciplinary safety teams that regularly examine data on school safety, school climate and student mental health. By bringing together different perspectives and using the data they already collect, schools can assess whether current interventions are working, identify gaps and develop a strategic plan for needed improvements. Importantly, this should not be a one-time exercise. Reviewing these data should become a routine part of school practice, allowing schools to evaluate whether changes are effective and make adjustments as needed.
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