School safety experts and leaders will advise on interagency school safety practices to better support K-12 communities
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced the inaugural members of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board, a group of school safety experts and education leaders that will provide advice and recommendations on practical ways to enhance K-12 school safety and security. The Board builds upon the Biden-Harris Administration’s collective efforts to support K-12 communities in creating safer, more supportive learning environments and fulfills a key requirement of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
The Board will advise the Secretary of Homeland Security through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on the implementation of evidence-based school safety practices and propose additional best practices for publication on the website SchoolSafety.gov. SchoolSafety.gov is the federal government’s platform that provides schools and districts with actionable recommendations to create safe and supportive environments for students and educators. The site serves as a one-stop access point for information, resources, and guidance for school safety from the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse, an interagency effort among the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice.
Today’s announcement comes nearly two years after the enactment of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which codified and expanded the Clearinghouse and directed the establishment of this advisory board. The Board will be chaired by Ronn Nozoe, Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
“Students and educators deserve safe environments that are free from fear. This Board will help schools and communities create safe learning spaces amid a diverse and ever-changing threat landscape,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I thank these distinguished leaders and experts for dedicating their time and expertise to the worthiest of causes: identifying actions that will help keep our schools safe.”
“Our schools should never have to face threats alone. Part of our work includes making sure K-12 communities have access to the best possible resources and information from the federal government,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “It is my profound honor to work alongside these leaders in making real changes that will help protect our children and educators at school.”
"I'm deeply honored to serve as chair of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. “What makes this initiative truly special is the unprecedented collaboration between federal agencies, school safety and violence prevention experts, and the inclusion of voices from the frontlines of education – school leaders, educators and students. By bringing together this diverse group of stakeholders, we're creating a powerful team that will drive real, positive change in school safety. This is how we make a lasting difference – by working together and ensuring that those most affected by these issues have a seat at the table."
The newly appointed members represent a diverse set of perspectives and experiences and have expertise in education, developmental psychology, child and adolescent health, public safety, law enforcement, cybersecurity and emerging technologies, social work, and civil and human rights. They represent state, local, tribal and territorial governments; parents, legal guardians and students; law enforcement; school safety and non-profit organizations; educators and faculty associations; disability rights organizations; and the private sector. The Board’s work will help the federal government identify and execute upon actions that will better support schools across the country.
The inaugural members of the Board are:
- Ronn Nozoe, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Secondary School Principals (Chair);
- Kevin Armstrong, President-elect, National Association of Elementary School Principals;
- Tami Benton, President, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry;
- Shani Buggs, Assistant Professor, University of California Davis Violence Prevention Research Program and Founder, The Black and Brown Collective;
- Mo Canady, Executive Director, National Association of School Resource Officers;
- Noel Candelaria, Secretary-Treasurer, National Education Association;
- Jennifer DePaoli, Senior Researcher, Learning Policy Institute;
- Michele Gay, Founder and Executive Director, Safe and Sound Schools;
- Seth Gerson, Program Director, K-12 Education, National Governors Association;
- Alison Grodzinski, Managing Director, National Center for School Safety;
- Christine Harms, Director, Colorado Office of School Safety;
- Nicole Hockley, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sandy Hook Promise;
- Devon Horton, Superintendent, DeKalb County School District, Georgia;
- Yvonne Johnson, President, National Parent Teacher Association;
- Brent Jones, Superintendent, Seattle Public Schools, Washington;
- Liz King, Senior Program Director, Education Equity, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights;
- Keith Krueger, Chief Executive Officer, Consortium for School Networking;
- Tim Lutz, Superintendent, Red Lake School District, Minnesota;
- Chad Marlow, Senior Policy Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union;
- Donna Michaelis, Director, Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety;
- Tony Montalto, President, Stand With Parkland;
- David Osher, Vice President and Institute Fellow, American Institutes for Research;
- Melissa Reeves, Past President, National Association of School Psychologists;
- Marlene Sallo, Executive Director, National Disability Rights Network;
- David Schuler, Executive Director, The School Superintendents Association; and
- Debra Wilson, President, National Association of Independent Schools.
The Board is administered by CISA on behalf of the Secretary. It will convene in Fall 2024 for its first meeting.
To learn more about the Board, please visit CISA.gov.
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