In the absence of any conclusive evidence on drills’ effectiveness at ensuring safety during actual active shooter incidents, Everytown urges school decisionmakers to assess whether the potential but unproven benefits of these drills outweigh their known collateral consequences to school communities’ mental health and wellbeing.

A strong body of research affirms the value of proactive school safety measures, such as threat assessment programs, access to mental health professionals and social support, non-punitive disciplinary processes, and trauma-informed emergency planning for teachers in reducing a school’s risk of gun violence and mass shootings. As part of these efforts, schools must also work to develop a supporting and nurturing school environment, and be aware of and attentive to warning signs of potential violence. States should make funding available for schools to implement these programs, and lawmakers must pass common sense gun violence prevention policies such as background checks on all gun sales, Extreme Risk laws, and secure gun storage laws, which prevent prospective shooters from getting their hands on a gun.