School Safety & Security

On February 24, 2021, the School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) adopted an initial set of "Baseline Criteria" standards that schools could use to guide their decisions about physical security and behavioral health needs. These standards were originally developed in 2020-2021 by a multidisciplinary Baseline Criteria Workgroup established under the SSSC.  They were revised in 2023 through a similar workgroup process and adopted by the SSSC in May 2023.

The Baseline Criteria Standards serve as a resource schools can reference to help determine their level of need.  All school entities should note that Act 55 of 2022 amended the School Safety and Security Grant Program process by requiring school entities to meet tier 1 (currently revised to Level 1) baseline criteria prior to expending eligible School Safety and Security Grant Program funding on other eligible school safety project activities. 

​Article XIII-B of the Pennsylvania Public School Code requires any school entity applying for a School Safety and Security grant under 24 P.S. §13-1306-B(j)(21) (i.e., trauma-informed approaches to education) to utilize a Model Trauma-Informed Approach Plan adopted by the SSSC. Applicants may utilize their own existing plan, provided it meets the SSSC's Model Plan criteria, or may seek funding to support the development of their own plan. 

Per Section 1302-C(c) of the PA Public School Code, a school entity or nonpublic school that has applied to court to appoint a school police officer (SPO) is required to submit a copy of the court’s order to the School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) within 30 days of the approval of their appointment. School entities and nonpublic schools that have previous SPO appointment(s) should also supply their court order(s) to the SSSC.

NOTE: Public school entities that previously supplied their SPO’s court orders via the 2024 School Safety and Security Coordinator Annual Report/Survey or separately via email do not need to resend their orders.

To report the new order, send an email to the RA-CD-SSSC@pa.gov resource account with “School Police Officer Order” in the email subject line and the following information included in the email:

• Name of school entity and AUN
• Mailing address of the school entity
• Contact information of the individual submitting the order
• Date the court approved the SPO appointment.

Finally, please scan and attach the court order to the email.

Please note that all information reported here is confidential and not subject to Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know law.

Section 1319-B of the PA Public School Code mandates that public school entities report data annually on school safety incidents, including incidents involving acts of violence, possession of a weapon, or possession, use, or sale of alcohol or tobacco on school property. PCCD's School Safety and Security Committee is responsible for publishing a School Safety Annual Report each year by November 1 in collaboration with the PA Department of Education (PDE). You can access school safety incident data reported by school entities for school year 2023-24 on the Safe Schools Office Discipline Data Repository site.

School Safety and Security Assessment Criteria

On February 24, 2021, the SSSC adopted a revised set of criteria to assist schools in guiding their school safety and security assessment, which is a strategic evaluation of a school's facilities and programs used to identify potential safety and security threats.  Assessments are to include consideration of the safety and security of a school's physical environment, climate and behavioral health environment, and related policies and trainings. 

The toolkit below is a compilation of best practices and recommendations as developed by experts on the SSSC and additional workgroup members.

School Safety Assessment Provider Registry

On January 26, 2022, the SSSC adopted a revised set of criteria for new registrants with knowledge and experience in matters of school safety and security that qualifies a person to conduct assessments based upon the Committee's adopted assessment criteria. View Provider Registration Criteria.

If you are interested in applying to be included on the provider registry, please visit our School Safety Provider Registry Application webpage to submit your initial application for consideration by the Committee. School Safety Provider Registry Guide (PDF)

If you are a school entity interested in locating an approved provider, use our Provider Registry.

Section 1309-B of the PA Public School Code of 1949 requires the chief school administrator of a school entity to appoint a school administrator as School Safety and Security Coordinator, who is responsible for a number of duties related to school safety and security and must complete a mandatory seven-hour training. 

Appointment of School Safety and Security Coordinators

School entities must submit the name and contact information of an individual appointed as a School Safety and Security Coordinator to PCCD's School Safety and Security Committee within 30 days of the appointment. Whenever a vacancy in a school entity's School Safety and Security Coordinator occurs, the chief school administrator shall, within 30 days of the vacancy, appoint a new Coordinator. All school entities are requested to submit their current School Safety and Security Coordinator information on the form below, as of January 1, 2025.

Training for School Security Personnel

Training for school security personnel, includes school resource officers, school police officers, and school security guards.

School Security Guard Vendor Registration

Section 1315-C of Article XIII-C (relating to school security) of the Public School Code of 1949 tasks the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) with establishing criteria to certify approved third-party vendors to provide school security guard services to school entities and nonpublic schools. The School Security Guard Vendor Registration page provides vendor criteria, information to register as a vendor, and a the list of approved security guard vendors.

Act 18 of 2019 amended the Public School Code of 1949 by adding Article XIII-E, Threat Assessment. Among its provisions, Article XIII-E requires the establishment of threat assessment teams for all school entities in Pennsylvania and tasks the School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) to research, develop and provide free threat assessment guidelines, training and informational materials, as well as model procedures and guidelines for school entities.

• SchoolSafety.gov Clearinghouse
• PCCD – Information on Egrants Registration and the Funding Process
  
• PA Department of Education – Office for Safe Schools
• PA Emergency Management Agency – School and Child Care Safety
• PA Office of Homeland Security - School Safety Conference
• PA Department of Health – Emergency Guidelines for Schools
• PA Student Assistance Program (DDAP-DHS-PDE)
• PCCD – Pennsylvania Youth Survey
• EPIS Evidence-Based Programs Addressing Mental Health