Schools are safe for most students, but shootings and violent incidents are increasing nationwide. And outside of school, guns are now among the leading cause of death of children.

A 2024 survey of incidents nationally since 1970 found increasing reports of deadly incidents in schools. Wednesday, a 14-year-old shot and killed two teachers and two students at a Georgia high school, according to news reports. In recent months, several students have been shot and injured in Alabama schools.

Many schools in recent years have increased security through school resource officers, bulletproof windows and whiteboards or metal detectors. A 2023 AL.com analysis of recent school safety and discipline incidents found increasing reports of guns, threats and fights.

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Every school in Alabama is required to have a plan in place to address emergencies, whether a natural disaster, medical incident or an armed intruder. As a new school year begins, some already have practiced drills for different threats.

Talking with children about school safety

Experts say it’s a good idea to have a conversation with your child about school safety, or any other potentially tough topics, before a drill happens. Parents also shouldn’t be afraid to ask their school administrators about their safety plans.

“They need to know that the school district is taking safety very seriously,” Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, told AL.com recently.

Parents can emphasize the importance of safety habits in everyday life. If a student is directly impacted by a traumatic event, The National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has a list of suggested actions parents can take in response to various behavior changes.

Will I be notified about a safety issue?

In Alabama, it’s up to individual districts to decide exactly how they’ll address and notify students and staff of any threats. For security reasons, those plans typically are only given to law enforcement and are not made public.

All schools, however, use the same four categories to designate different levels of an emergency:

1. Heightened Awareness: This means there may be potential for an unusual situation and parties should have heightened awareness to react as needed.

2. Secure Your Area of Responsibility: This means an incident has occurred, such as a threat to one’s self or a medical emergency, and school staff should secure their areas to prevent further incidents from happening.

3. Secure Perimeter: This means a potential threat or danger does exist or has occurred within the community or neighborhood, and all parties should be aware to react as needed.

4. Lockdown: A lockdown is a recognition of potential immediate danger. School staff and students should take immediate action using the safest and best option for survival.

What to expect from a school lockdown

State law requires schools to conduct a lockdown, or “code red,” drill twice a year – typically during the first six weeks of the fall and spring semesters.

Principals also must hold an annual training session for employees on school lockdown plans and procedures.

Lockdown drills can vary by school. Most lockdowns will require students to shelter in place and keep out of hallways, while others may require additional precautions, like avoiding windows and doors, turning off lights, or designating a safe place in the classroom to hide from a potential intruder.

Guns in schools

In the 2022-23 school year, Alabama schools reported 139 incidents of a student possessing a firearm or handgun, and five incidents of a student using a handgun, rifle or other firearm on school grounds.

All Alabama schools must have a policy in place to prevent people other than authorized law enforcement from bringing deadly weapons or dangerous instruments into schools – and establish serious penalties for anyone who violates those rules.

School resource officers may carry a firearm if they successfully complete active shooter training approved by the state law enforcement agency, in addition to other firearm trainings.

A 2018 state law also authorizes schools without a school resource officer to allow a designated administrator to keep a firearm on school grounds if they pass required screenings and trainings.

New security measures

Several schools have added new security measures in recent years to detect weapons and provide additional shelter in the case of an emergency.

Recently, Cullman City Schools installed bulletproof, pop-out whiteboards in an effort to protect students from both active shooter events and natural disasters. In Gadsden, teachers can now lock down school doors with the touch of a button.

Several other districts have added new systems like metal detectors and X-ray machines, or have hired more school resource officers on campus.

Other changes could come statewide with the recent passage of the School Security Act this summer, which goes into effect Oct. 1.

The law mandates the following:

• Periodic inspections of public schools to assess their security needs
• Schools must provide local authorities with updated floor plans in the case of an emergency
• School districts must designate a safety coordinator who is trained on best practices for lockdowns, threat assessments and other safety procedures.