Improving School Access Control

Few things are more important for school safety and security than controlling access to buildings and grounds. It is relatively easy to incorporate effective access control measures in new school designs but more difficult in existing schools, where most building and site features cannot be readily altered or reconfigured.

The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities publishes 25 NCEF Assessment Guides covering a wide range of school safety and security measures. Those
addressing access control are included in this article. Topics covered include school grounds; outdoor spaces; building access control; and access to specific indoor spaces, such as auditoriums, classrooms, and libraries.