This report is the third in a series that highlights findings from an evaluation of State School Safety Centers (SSSCs) carried out by WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Research Center (JPRC) and funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

Few empirical studies exist with systematic data collection or examination of SSSC outcomes. The goal of the evaluation in this report is to better understand the structure, services, and perceptions of SSSCs to identify promising practices and models for replication, expansion, and evaluation. This report uses data from interviews with key education leaders involved in school safety efforts in each state who engage with their states’ SSSC services, as well as a survey of superintendents and principals in states with an SSSC.

Key Insights:

  • Awareness of SSSCs: The majority of district and school leaders were aware of their SSSCs, but there is an opportunity to further expand awareness to principals and teachers.
  • SSSCs assume primarily a guidance role: Online resources, training, and technical assistance are the most used SSSC supports.
  • Participants and interested parties have positive perceptions of SSSCs: Services are rated as easy to access, useful, comprehensive, of high quality, and aligned with safety needs. However, there may be an opportunity for improvement in ensuring that services align seamlessly with state safety requirements and encompass best practices.
  • There are opportunities for improvement: Feedback from surveys identified possible improvements, including increasing staff capacity; improving websites; increasing outreach; and adding new supports for threat assessment, mental health, and leadership trainings.

Further Reading From the Series

  1. States’ School Safety Centers: A Brief Look Into History, Characteristics, and Activities
  2. Research and Evaluation on School Safety: The Structure, Services, and Products of State School Safety Centers

Read a Brief of This Report:

Service Users’ Perceptions of State School Safety Center Supports & Services

This project was supported by grant #2020-CK-BX-002 awarded by the National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice.