The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of early educational quality on children's cortisol levels. It was hypothesised that the environmental stressors might load children's immature stress regulative systems thus affecting their diurnal cortisol levels. The study sample consisted of 146 preschool-aged children. Cortisol was measured…

This research describes the impact of an integrated training program (Positive Space I and Positive Space II) on pre-service teachers' understandings of and abilities to create safe spaces for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgendered, two-spirited, queering and/or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and allies in schools. Our Bachelor of Education program…

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the second in their latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This series explores afterschool and: the Common Core State Standards, students…

Beginning in January of 2012, the Alabama State Board of Education embarked on a bold and transformation plan for K-12 public education known as PLAN 2020. Foundational to this plan was a new definition of a successful and prepared high school graduate informed by community colleges, institutions of higher education, and business and industry,…

Developing positive school climates and improving school discipline policies and practices are critical steps to raising academic achievement and supporting student success. However, there is no single formula for doing so. Rather, the growing body of research and best practices in the field should inform locally developed approaches to improving…

Several studies have shown that the need to create safe and orderly schools has increasingly been addressed in a manner that disconnects these priorities from broader concerns related to student success, school culture, and child development. In this paper, we explore the consequences of expanding security procedures in response to an incident…

Research has demonstrated that a positive school climate is an essential part of violence prevention. Many factors influence the association between school climate and behavioral outcomes. Positive school climate alone cannot prevent all variables that may contribute to the expression of aggression. Nevertheless, positive school climates influence…

Disruptive behaviors negatively impact learning by taking time away from classroom instruction (Gottlieb and Polirstok 2005) and may also produce unsafe school environments. This study examined changes in the number of office disciplinary referrals (ODRs) received in public schools prior to and following the schools partnering with one particular…

Schools and universities have to confront countless problems that threaten to divert them from their primary function: educating children. Insufficient funding, subpar facilities, lack of community support, dissatisfied employees and dysfunctional board members are just some of the obstacles that can prevent an education institution from achieving…

The purpose of this study is to delve into, and further understand, the perceptions of higher education administrators when they experience having to simultaneously balance the issues of campus safety and student privacy. The research surveyed approximately 900 (with 147 returns) administrators who self-identified as having a role in incidents of…

Neighborhood and school playgrounds are places that kids play, get fit and make friends. Individuals expect playgrounds to be safe and clean environments for children to play in. However, too many playgrounds across America have unsafe play equipment and are not well-maintained. Some may pose environmental health hazards such as the ones discussed…

New York City's leading teachers' union signaled that it will not give up its fight to keep the city from closing bad schools. The Department of Education administers voluntary surveys to parents and teachers in each of its public and charter schools. The results of these surveys account for about 10 percent of the accountability score used to…

The AISD Student Substance Use and Safety Survey, administered annually to a random, representative sample of AISD students in middle schools and high schools, provides self-report data on student knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to substance use and school safety issues. This report summarizes results for the 2009-2010 school year.

After a tragic event, suicide, or violent act of revenge that occurs as a result of frequent bullying, the public is outraged at school employees who they think did nothing to prevent it. The public asks the obvious questions: How come nobody cared enough to do something to stop it? How could the staff be so heartless and callous? Where were the…

A new informal federal survey has found that for many districts, budget cuts have had a profound effect on school safety and security measures. Administrators have been forced to cut safety and security staffing and programs, reorganize security departments and find alternative sources of funding in order to maintain levels of safety and security…