Members of task force include representatives from the state’s Department of Education, Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and the Schools Development Authority as well as members of several state-level education organizations. The group was created by a state statute in August 2013, and has since been examining potential safety improvements related to architectural design, staff training, screening systems and technology, emergency communication plans, preventing cyber attacks and ensuring a secure school perimeter. The group made a total of 42 recommendations to the New Jersey Legislature, which commissioned the report, on July 9, including those related to the use of panic alarms, student and visitor identification cards, and even the risks posed by proximity to chemical facilities or nuclear power plants.

“New Jersey has always taken an active role in developing and implementing programs designed to protect our students,” said Commissioner of Education David Hespe, who co-chaired the 11-member task force, in a statement. “This task force worked hard to build upon this tradition of success. Their report will serve as an important guide in our continuing work to ensure that our schools are safe learning environments for all children.”

“One of the major focuses of the task force was to build on the state’s movement toward strengthening the school security policies and practices employed in New Jersey,” said Christopher Rodriguez, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and co-chair of the task force, in a statement.

“Protecting our children during school hours and at after school activities is an around-the-clock job that requires a strong working relationship among law enforcement, school officials, parents and the community,” Rodriguez continued. “This is consistent with the work of my office and vital to allowing New Jersey’s children — and their teachers — to focus on learning.”

Along with fellow task force members, Hespe and Rodriguez reviewed earlier school safety studies, conducted site visits at various schools, and met with law enforcement agencies as well as safety experts to glean feedback and input throughout the process. While some of the resulting recommendations can be implemented administratively on the state or local level, others will require amendments to current New Jersey laws and regulations, according to a statement by the state Department of Education.

The full report can be found here.

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