How School Safety Challenges Differ in Private and Charter Schools

While many school safety best practices apply across all educational environments, private and charter schools often operate under different conditions than traditional public school districts. Those differences can influence all aspects of school safety, including funding decisions, community engagement, and emergency planning.

During a recent webinar hosted by ZeroNow, NCSSD's sister organization, three NCSSD members discussed several factors that make school safety in private and charter schools unique.

Funding Often Looks Different

Funding was one of the first differences panelists discussed.

Unlike public school districts, private schools often do not have access to local tax revenue, bond measures, or other public funding mechanisms. Security improvements frequently compete with other institutional priorities and may rely on donor support, fundraising efforts, or grant opportunities.

However, funding challenges are not always limited to dollars.

"Even when grant opportunities exist, some private schools—particularly smaller institutions—may not have the personnel or administrative capacity to apply for grants, manage reporting requirements, or oversee implementation after receiving an award."

— Christopher Furlong, Director of Security and Safety, Cranbrook Educational Community (Mich.)

As a result, private schools often have to be especially strategic when prioritizing security investments and determining where limited resources will have the greatest impact.

School Culture Can Shape Security Decisions

Culture was another recurring theme during the discussion.

Many private and religious schools place a high value on maintaining welcoming, community-oriented environments. Some operate open campuses while others have longstanding traditions or educational philosophies that influence how security measures are implemented.

"Every security decision must be considered within the context of the school's identity and traditions."

— Mark Lomax, Director of Campus Safety, George School (Penn.)

For schools with decades or even centuries of history, balancing safety improvements with community expectations can be one of the most challenging aspects of the job.

Furlong argued that culture is one of the most important layers of school safety, noting that creating an environment where students, employees, parents, and community members feel comfortable reporting concerns may be just as important as any security technology a school installs.

"The cultural layer is really the foundation," he said. "It's also the one thing you cannot purchase."

Community Engagement Can Be an Advantage

Private and charter schools often have unique relationships with families and stakeholders. Many expect parents and guardians to play an active role in school activities, fundraising efforts, volunteer programs, and governance.

That level of involvement can create opportunities to build awareness around safety procedures, emergency protocols, and reporting expectations.

"The more we can pull those people in, the better. Private schools and charter schools often have an advantage because they can have deeper engagement with families and community members on a regular basis as part of the programming."

— Jillian Herring, School Safety Consultant, Former Broward County Public Schools Administrator

Stronger connections with families can help schools build support for safety initiatives, communicate expectations more effectively, and reinforce prevention efforts beyond the school day.

Those relationships often extend beyond parents and guardians. Partnerships with local law enforcement, fire departments, emergency responders, and neighboring schools can strengthen preparedness efforts and provide valuable support when incidents occur.

"Even schools that may be considered competitors from an enrollment perspective are often facing the same challenges and working to solve the same problems," Furlong said.

Boarding Schools Require Around-the-Clock Safety Planning

Several panelists represented schools with boarding programs, residential populations, and large open campuses.

Unlike a traditional school building that empties at the end of the day, these environments require safety planning around the clock. Students may move between buildings, live on campus, or receive emergency notifications during overnight hours.

Maintaining a welcoming campus atmosphere remains a priority for many schools.

"Our community values an open environment. They don't want gates or highly visible security measures."

— Mark Lomax

That reality places additional emphasis on access control, emergency communications, training, and preparedness. Boarding school environments also require students to be prepared to respond to emergencies even when faculty and staff are not immediately nearby.

"The training and communication requirements extend well beyond the traditional school day," he said.

More Similar Than Different

Despite these differences, the panelists agreed that many of the fundamentals remain the same. Strong relationships, clear communication, behavioral threat assessment, community partnerships, and risk-based decision-making are essential regardless of school type.

"Regardless of whether we're public, private, or charter, the best thing we can do is reduce ambiguity and create clarity in how we do the work," Herring said.

Private, charter, and public schools may operate in different environments, but they ultimately share the same goal: creating safe places where students can learn, grow, and thrive.

Watch the Webinar

Want to hear the full discussion? Watch the complete webinar below.

School Safety Leaders Don't Have to Solve These Challenges Alone

The National Council of School Safety Directors (NCSSD) connects school safety practitioners from across the country to share ideas, discuss emerging issues, and exchange real-world lessons learned.

Learn more about membership and join the conversation.

Editor's Note: This article is based on a recent ZeroNow webinar featuring NCSSD members Christopher Furlong, Jillian Herring, and Mark Lomax.