Date of Award
Summer 2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Committee Chair
Bruce Boyles
Abstract
School safety is a critical and increasingly complex concern in public education, impacting students, staff, families, and communities nationwide. School principals are primarily responsible for maintaining safe and orderly learning environments by effectively implementing safety measures that are designed to protect the physical and psychological well-being of students and staff. This phenomenological qualitative research study analyzed the perception of K–12 principals in a rural school district in determining the effectiveness of current safety policies and procedures, determining challenges for maintaining physical safety within a school, determining the challenges for maintaining psychological safety within a school, and determining what recommendations for improvement can be made to existing safety policies and procedures. To carry out this investigation, one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted. The findings of the research suggested that although K–12 principals generally perceive the existing safety policies and procedures within the school district to be positive and effective, there are areas of improvement that should be considered. The findings of this research study indicated that K–12 principals recommended improvements to staff training models, updates to security infrastructure, an increased focus on student mental health, and the need to maintain consistent communication.
Recommended Citation
Chilton, Emily Winstead, "Meeting the Safety Needs of Schools: Evaluating K-12 Principal Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Safety Measures Within a School District" (2026). Doctor of Education Dissertations. 297.
https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/education-dissertations/297
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