A comprehensive resource on what lockdown drills are, why they are necessary, and how best to conduct them. <p/>The first book to offer a comprehensive examination of lockdown drills in K-12 schools, Lockdown Drills balances research findings with practical applications and implications. Schildkraut and Nickerson, school safety experts with complementary backgrounds in criminology and school psychology, review the historical precedents for lockdown drills, distinguish school lockdowns from other emergency procedures (such as active shooter drills), explain why they are conducted, present evidence-based research on their effectiveness, and describe how to conduct them according to best practices. Proponents of lockdown drills as a life-saving necessity, the authors help to bring much-needed standardization to how these drills are studied and conducted. <p/>The authors present common arguments for and against the inclusion of lockdown drills in emergency preparedness efforts, balancing their discussion of the perceptions and psychological impacts of lockdown drills with scholarly research on the extent to which lockdown drills improve how effectively individuals respond to a potential threat. Placing lockdown drills in the larger context of school safety and preparedness, they examine the broader implications for policymakers. Finally, they emphasize that drills, of which lockdowns are only one type, are just a part of the complex school safety puzzle. Ensuring that schools are safe places for students and educators begins long before a crisis occurs and continues through the days, weeks, and years of recovery following a crisis.
Author(s): Jaclyn Schildkraut, Amanda B. Nickerson
Publisher: The MIT Press
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 228
City: Cambridge
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I: How Did we Get Here?
1. Lockdown Drills as a School Safety Phenomenon
End the Practice?
Why Does It Matter?
The Parkland Example
Keeping It in Context
2. Why Lockdown Drills? A Look At How We Got Here
Duck-and-Cover Drills
Fire Drills
Drills for Natural Disasters
Lockdown Drills
Why Lockdowns Specifically?
Understanding Drills as Part of Disaster Education
3. What are Lockdown Drills? Differentiating Drills and Exercises
What are Exercises?
What are Drills?
Options-Based Approaches for Active Shooter Response
How Should Drills and Exercises Be Used to Help Schools Prepare for Emergencies?
4. Should we or Shouldn’t we? Arguments for and Against Lockdown Drills
Arguments for Conducting Lockdown Drills
Arguments against Conducting Lockdown Drills
Finding Common Ground
Part II: What Does the Research Say?
5. For Students: Are we Training or Traumatizing?
Anxiety
Fear and Perceived Risk
Perceptions of Safety
Perceived Preparedness
Some Broader Considerations
6. For Faculty and Staff: Building Cooperation and Collaboration
The Impact of Drills on Perceptions of Safety
The Impact of Drills on Perceived Preparedness
Identifying Opportunities for Improvement
Building Not Only Cooperation and Collaboration but Also Confidence
7. Teaching the Steps of Lockdown: More than Just Drilling
Why Evaluating Drills Is Necessary
Research Evaluating Drill Quality
The Importance of Training
Improving Evaluation and Oversight
Part III: Policy and Best Practices
8. How Should We Think About Lockdown Drills? Guidance and Best Practices
Establish a Multidisciplinary Safety Team
Engage in Careful Planning
Plan for Students and Staff with Disabilities and Other Specific Needs
Be Clear about Drill Objectives and Terminology
Provide Training
Use a Trauma-Informed Approach
Conduct Drills at Varying Times of the Day and on Different Days
Announce the Drill
Evaluate for Integrity, Impact, and Improvements
Moving Forward: Additional Considerations for Research, Policy, and Practice
9. Lockdown Drills: A Piece of the School Safety Puzzle
A Hardening Approach to School Safety
Creating Comprehensive School Safety Plans
No “One-Size-Fits-All” Approach
10. The Future of Lockdowns and Other Emergency Preparedness Drills
Have the Hard Conversations
Practice Makes Progress
Prepare for All Hazards
Standardization Is Key
Plan Not Only for the Worst Day but for Every Day
A Call to Researchers
Some Final Thoughts
Appendix: Annual Drill Requirements by State for Lockdowns or Other Emergencies
Notes
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Essential Readings
Guidance and Best Practice Documentation
Research Studies
Index
