Free 7-Question Assessment
Find the gaps in your school’s safety plan in 7 questions.
A free, scenario-based gap assessment built on the Principled Safety® methodology. Built for superintendents, principals, and district safety leads — takes about 3 minutes.
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Based on standards from high-hazard facilities
Aligned with Federal, Sandy Hook & MSD commission reports
Aligned with the principles in
Federal Commission on School Safety
Sandy Hook Advisory Commission
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission
Texas School Safety Action Plan
What you’ll uncover in 3 minutes
Most school safety plans look complete on paper. The assessment surfaces the gaps that only show up when a real scenario is tested against the plan.
Blind spots in physical layout
Discover where your building design assumes a safety measure that isn’t actually there — corridors, sightlines, exterior access points.
Scenarios you haven't planned for
Most plans are built around one assumed intruder. See which credible scenarios your current procedures fail to cover.
Weak layers of defense
Identify where protection collapses to a single locked door — and where you need a true defense-in-depth approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Principled Safety®?
Principled Safety® is a standards-based approach to school safety that helps schools identify credible threat scenarios, assess vulnerabilities, and apply layered protective measures. Instead of relying on scattered best practices, it gives administrators a more consistent framework for making safety decisions across a school or district.
Who is this approach designed for?
This approach is designed for school administrators, district leaders, school board members, safety teams, parents, and community members who want a more disciplined, practical way to improve school safety.
How is this different from traditional school safety planning?
Many school safety plans are built around general best practices or a single assumed intruder scenario. Principled Safety® starts by identifying the specific vulnerabilities and credible scenarios a school may face, then uses standards, layered controls, and performance criteria to address them systematically.
Does this replace existing school safety plans?
No. Principled Safety® is meant to strengthen existing plans by helping schools evaluate gaps, improve consistency, and make better-informed decisions about protective measures, procedures, communication, access, and emergency response.
Why does school safety need a standardized approach?
Every school is different, but every student, teacher, and staff member deserves an equivalent level of protection. A standardized framework helps districts avoid one-off decisions and instead apply clear principles across multiple buildings, campuses, and scenarios.
What does the process include?
The process includes assessing safety needs, conducting a facility walk-down, identifying vulnerabilities, developing credible intruder scenarios, selecting protective measures, defining performance criteria, and creating procedures to monitor and maintain those protections over time.
Is this only about physical security?
No. Physical security is one part of the process, but Principled Safety® also looks at communication, procedures, response planning, maintenance, performance expectations, and the reliability of protective measures.
Will this make schools feel more restrictive or intimidating?
The goal is to improve safety while preserving a positive academic environment. Protective measures should be selected and implemented in ways that are as least disruptive and distracting as possible for students and staff.
What is Before the Next Tragedy about?
Before the Next Tragedy introduces a disciplined, system-level approach to preventing harm in school shooting scenarios. The book gives school leaders and safety advocates a practical framework for identifying gaps, investing wisely, documenting decisions, and protecting students, teachers, and staff.
Can this approach guarantee that a tragedy will never happen?
No approach can guarantee complete prevention or safety in every situation. Principled Safety® is intended to help schools reduce risk, make stronger decisions, and improve preparedness through a more structured and principled process.
How can my school get started?
A good first step is to begin with a safety assessment. This helps identify potential vulnerabilities, evaluate current protections, and determine where improvements may be needed most.