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Target Hardening in Schools
Target Hardening is the strengthening of security measures and other school practices in an attempt to provide a safer environment.
Target hardening measures have been used in community settings, such as when airports began installing metal detectors. Now, schools are beginning to 'harden' in the wake of school shootings.
Purpose
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The purpose of this site is to provide information about current target hardening practices in schools. You will find information about national, state, and local initiatives to prevent school shootings and promote safe/supportive educational environments.
This website was created to identify current school safety practices in efforts to find the best ways to support the physical and psychological well-being of students, staff, families, and communities.
What is included on this website?
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History
The history of target hardening is presented in a timeline with various policies and community/school events that have influenced hardening practices.
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Physical - Procedural - Psychological Hardening
The website outlines three categories of target hardening: physical, procedural, and psychological. Each target hardening category includes a drop-down menu with sub-categories. Each sub-categories includes a detailed description of a current hardening practice in schools.
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National - State - Local Initiatives
National, state, and local initiatives are also included on this website. The National Initiatives tab provides school safety recommendations from five commissions reports, including the Presidential Commission report completed in 2018. The Michigan Initiatives tab includes work completed by the School Safety Task Force. The Local Initiatives tab identifies current school safety practices happening in mid-Michigan.
Theoretical Model
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This is a visual representation of school safety in regards to the three hardening tactics: physical, procedural, and psychological. All hardening tiers should be used integrally as each contributes unique safety strategies to promote a safe educational environment for everyone. However, schools must consider which approaches within each tier are best for their context. For more information about the target hardening approaches, see the tabs above.