Tiered School Security Standards Outlined at ISC West

The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) announced details of its tiered safety technology standards created specifically for K-12 schools. These standards are designed to easily incorporate into school security strategies, setting tangible goals for better protection of students and employees.

PASS, which is powered by Security Industry Association (SIA) and National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA), outlined their product agnostic guidelines for the use of electronic security and life safety equipment in schools, system requirements, documents and training opportunities today at ISC West 2015 in Las Vegas.

PASS, which is powered by Security Industry Association (SIA) and National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) , outlined their product agnostic guidelines for the use of electronic security and life safety equipment in schools, system requirements, documents and training opportunities today at ISC West 2015 in Las Vegas.

In the wake of a myriad of school shootings including the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., there was still no official standard for school security technology until PASS.

“After Sandy Hook, we could not send our kids back to school in good conscience without making schools safer,” said Michele Gay, a former schoolteacher whose daughter was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary. She created the Safe and Sound Schools Organization, and studied the patterns of what happened after school shootings. “There was lots of talk, but little action.”

Chuck Wilson, executive director of NSCA, spoke at ISC West about visiting an inner-city Chicago school.

“Our kids have no chance of being educated in that type of environment,” he said. “I saw things I had no idea happened in schools.” It’s another reason Wilson is so passionate about working with PASS.

“Why did we create PASS?” asked Ron Hawkins, manager of special projects at SIA. “There really is no standard for school security technology like there is for fire codes. Schools lack official guidance. [PASS] is a toolkit they can use.”

The PASS coalition members outlined its mission:

Establish guidelines and standards
Outline best practices for security technology applications
Identify solutions to funding challenges
Recognize that there is no “one size fits all” solution for schools, all of which are unique
Address that most technology recommendations are typically written by technology experts without the all-important input from school experts