Parents often list school safety as the most important attribute they look for when choosing a school for their child. Ensuring student security requires school leaders and policymakers to consider the many factors at play in school safety. Historically, federal efforts to improve school safety have tended toward centralized policy, while state-level policy has failed to capture other breakdowns in school security, such as a when a student is persistently bullied.

Updates to federal and state policy, such as providing school leaders with the flexibility to use existing federal funds in a manner that works for them to ensure school safety, while at the same time empowering parents to choose safe and effective schools that work for their children through Child Safety Accounts – also known as Safe Student Scholarships – are necessary steps forward.

Join the Heritage Foundation, in conjunction with the Heartland Institute, for a conversation about the next steps for ensuring every child has access to a safe and effective school.