The Relentless School Nurse: School Safety – Championing Student Wellbeing in Active Shooter Drills

The newly released National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consensus study—“School Active Shooter Drills: Mitigating Risks to Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health” asks us to confront a difficult question: Are our safety drills really keeping children safe, or, in our urgent quest for preparedness, are we inadvertently chipping away at their sense of security and wellbeing? 

Key Takeaways from the National Academies Study

This landmark study makes it crystal clear: while 95% of U.S. public schools conduct some form of active shooter drill, the evidence supporting their effectiveness is thin, and the emotional toll—especially for our most vulnerable students—is substantial. The core findings deserve every school nurse, educator, policymaker, and parent’s attention:

• Drills often increase students’ and staff’s feelings of fear, anxiety, and distress.

• There is no robust evidence that drills prevent casualties during real events.

• Younger children, students with disabilities, trauma histories, or English language learners are especially at risk of harm from poorly designed drills.

What Should Stay, What Should Go? The Best Practice Checklist

The report highlights a new standard rooted in trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate care:

Yes, to:

• • Announced, trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate, and discussion-based drills.

  • Clear communication to students and families before, during, and after drills.

  • Adaptations and accommodations for students with disabilities and functional needs.

  • Mental health support and opportunities to debrief, especially for vulnerable students and staff.

  • Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team—including school nurses, mental health professionals, students, and families—to tailor drills to your school community.

• Surprising or “deceptive” drills where participants believe there is a real attacker.

• High-intensity, hyper-realistic drills (no simulated gunfire, fake blood, or assault simulations with students involved).
• A “one size fits all” approach, especially for students with special needs.

With caution:

• • “Options-based” drills (“Run/Hide/Fight”) must be rigorously scrutinized for their appropriateness at each developmental and ability level.

How Can School Nurses Lead Implementation?

As a school nurse, we are not only a first-responder—we are protectors, advocates, and frontline watchers. Here are actionable steps school nurses can champion:

• Participate in Planning: Advocating for having a seat at the table when drills are planned and reviewed—including accommodations, developmentally appropriate, and equity.

• Student Screening and Support: Proactively check in with students who might be at greater risk—those with anxiety, trauma histories, disabilities, and English language learners—before and after every drill.

• Debrief and Educate: Facilitating debriefs and wellness check-ins after drills isn’t optional—it’s essential. Partner with school counselors and social workers for coordinated support.

• Champion Parent Engagement: Ensure families receive clear and honest communication about any upcoming drills and their purpose, and empower parents to voice concerns and suggestions.

• Push for Policy: Advocate at the school board and district level for the adoption of the report’s best practices, the elimination of harmful simulation and deception, and mandated trauma-informed protocols.

• Equity Lens: Insist that students with disabilities or specialized needs have individualized drill participation plans, and that accessibility is never an afterthought.

School Safety Is a Community Effort

This report is a clarion call to put student and staff mental health at the center of every preparedness activity. Drills cannot exist in isolation. They must be woven into comprehensive school wellness initiatives, with robust resources for mental health, social-emotional learning, restorative practices, and positive school climate.

Our charge is clear: Advocate, educate, and never surrender the well-being of our children to the illusion of safety over genuine care. Change won’t happen overnight, but each trauma-informed, developmentally aware step we take can reduce harm—and that’s the only kind of preparedness our students truly deserve.

Let’s lead with empathy, follow the evidence, and, as always, be relentless for our school communities’ health and safety.

Report Release Webinar: School Active Shooter Drills: Mitigating Risks to Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health