AWSP
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Criterion Two: Ensuring School Safety

An effective leader supports the community (both in and out of school) to develop a more nuanced understanding of what it means to be safe. Physical, emotional, and intellectual safety are critical and necessary conditions for effective teaching and learning to take place. This criterion addresses three areas of school safety: physical safety (2.1), social/emotional/intellectual safety (2.2), and identity safety (2.3)

Key Questions for Reflection

  • How does your leadership foster physical, emotional, and identity safety for all students and staff?

  • What systems do you have in place to monitor and address school climate and safety concerns?

  • How are students and staff engaged in co-creating a safe school environment?

  • In what ways do your discipline practices reflect equity and dignity?

  • How do you ensure your safety plans are inclusive, up-to-date, and transparent to your whole school community?

Quick Wins

  • Audit your safety plan: Ensure it includes current procedures for prevention, intervention, and recovery and is accessible to all.

  • Disaggregate discipline data: Review and reflect on trends by race, gender, and program participation (e.g., SPED, EL).

  • Start student voice groups: Invite students to co-design ideas to make school safer and more inclusive.

  • Display norms visibly: Post classroom or hallway norms that reinforce identity safety and inclusive behavior.

  • Hold staff refreshers: Lead brief, ongoing PD sessions on trauma-informed care or bias in discipline responses.

AI Prompts


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Tech Tips

  • Use Google Forms to collect anonymous feedback from students and staff on school safety.

  • Leverage tools like Panorama or Qualtrics for deeper analysis of SEL and climate data.

  • Create a shared safety drill tracker in Google Sheets for real-time updates and compliance checks.

  • Use Canva or Adobe Express to design clear, inclusive posters about expectations and resources related to safety and identity.

  • Set up automated email/text reminders for safety drills, committee meetings, or feedback loops using tools like Remind or scheduled emails. 

Examples of Proficient Behaviors

A proficient leader creates a physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe school environment by establishing clear expectations, modeling inclusive behavior, and proactively addressing safety concerns.

In practice, they:

  • Lead regular safety drills and debriefs to reinforce preparedness and build confidence.

  • Use disaggregated data to identify patterns in discipline and address disproportionality.

  • Collaborate with staff and students to update safety plans and protocols.

  • Establish systems for anonymous student reporting and follow-up.

  • Provide professional learning on trauma-informed practices and identity safety.

  • Elevate student voice through climate surveys and focus groups.

Possible Evidence to Collect

  • A current, comprehensive school safety plan with input.

  • Logs of completed safety drills and summaries of post-drill reflections.

  • Disaggregated discipline; attendance data with analysis and action steps.

  • Agendas and materials from staff pro learning on bias, trauma-informed care, or de-escalation.

  • Student surveys or focus group summaries on perceptions of safety and belonging.

  • Communication samples that explain safety procedures to families in multiple languages.

  • Documentation of restorative practices in action such as reflection forms, or logs of restorative conversations.

Continued Learning


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The AWSP Learning Lab is our online learning platform with various courses, live and asynchronous options. Check out what is available to support you learning.

Explore the Learning Lab


  • Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools – Monique W. Morris
    Explores how exclusionary discipline practices harm Black girls and how schools can become safer, more supportive spaces.

  • Safe Is Not Enough: Better Schools for LGBTQ Students – Michael Sadowski
    Offers actionable strategies to go beyond physical safety and create affirming environments for LGBTQ+ students.

  • Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education – Alex Shevrin Venet
    A practical, justice-driven guide to trauma-informed practices that prioritize student voice, healing, and safety for all learners.

  • Not Light, But Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom – Matthew R. Kay
    Guides educators in creating intellectually and emotionally safe spaces for real conversations about identity, race, and equity.

  • School Security: The Risk Assessment Blueprint – Joseph J. Harris
    Simplifies school security with a step-by-step guide for unified safety planning.