Our students reach their fullest potential when they—and their educators—are healthy and safe in their schools.
Fostering school environments where educators and students are supported, and safety concerns are addressed, are two major components of creating safe schools. As the nation’s largest union, the National Education Association works to ensure the protections and infrastructure our children and educators so desperately need to succeed and live healthy lives are implemented across the nation.
The resources on this page—and in our related resource hubs on student and educator mental health, gun violence prevention, infection control & COVID-19, and healthy buildings—offer a foundational understanding of the issues that educators and communities face in providing a safe and positive school culture. These resources provide practical tools and skills that are needed to help create healthy environments that get to the root causes of school safety issues.
Our work is centered in NEA's Policy on Safe, Just, and Equitable Schools 2022, which explains in detail principles to guide the beliefs, actions, advocacy, partnerships, and other organization-wide efforts to achieve and sustain NEA's vision for safe, just, and equitable schools for every student, educator, parent/guardian, and community.
NEA remains committed to ending gun violence in our nation’s public schools and communities through legislative action, crisis preparation, and supporting the mental health, education, and well-being of every student and educator.
Educators across the country are working to end the era of school shootings that has defined students' lives.
Working through their union, educators are doubling down on efforts to end gun violence in their schools and communities.
The NEA Health and Safety Program partnered with the Right Question Institute and the Brown School of Public Health to support families, educators, and students with strategies for effective communication around health and safety issues. This page contains a training module—Pathways for Effective School-Family Partnerships: A Strategy for Productive School Health and Safety Dialogue—that can be used by individuals or by groups.
According to a new survey, teachers are twice as likely to experience job-related stress compared to other working adults.
Consider these tactics to improve mental health support of educators using collective bargaining or advocacy.
Our students and educators deserve school environments that have optimal ventilation and air quality and are free from health and safety hazards.
Be prepared for student misbehavior and other classroom challenges with these tips from award-winning Delaware behavioral specialist Rosa DiPiazza.
No matter where you work in our school communities, you can use these practices to create safe and supportive learning environments for all students.
Introducing restorative practices to your school can provide a positive, effective alternative to exclusionary discipline.
Meeting the needs of every student requires a holistic approach to education that extends well beyond academics.
Inclusive education policies and practices ensure all of our students have the skills they need to thrive in their schools, careers, and communities.
Creating safe and supportive school communities can start with looking out for the most vulnerable students and working to identify and respond to the signs of exploitation.
NEA offers several professional development opportunities in the form of microcredentials, to help educators ensure safe, just, and positive school climates. Microcredentials are free for NEA members and $75 each for non-members.
Creating Bully-Free School Environments Safety, Bias, and LGBTQ+: Supporting Students in Schools and in the Community Adult Social and Emotional Learning: Essentials in Personal and Professional Settings Creating Bully-Free School EnvironmentsOne of the most important things you can do as an educator is to educate yourself about bullying in our schools. NEA provides multiple professional learning opportunities for our members, on topics including "Creating Bully-Free Environments in Structured Environments," "Cyberbullying/Cyber Security," and many more.
Safety, Bias, and LGBTQ+: Supporting Students in Schools and in the CommunityDesigned for all members, particularly those committed to addressing bias around sexual orientation and gender identity, this program teaches school personnel how to create a safe school climate for students and staff.
Adult Social and Emotional Learning: Essentials in Personal and Professional SettingsIn this micro-credential course, you will focus on CASEL’s five core social and emotional competencies. You will also learn strategies for developing personal social and emotional competencies that deepen your personal and professional awareness.
Our podcasts empower educators and experts to use their years of experience and wisdom to help you get the most out of your career in education. Listen to the episodes below or view the complete list of episodes.
Delaware behavioral specialist Rosa Di Piazza shares tips on managing classroom behavior.
Dr. Bloodine Barthelus, Director of Practice Innovation at the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) describes how educators can use these social and emotional learning (SEL) practices to enable better learning and create a more welcoming and safe environment for all students.
How restorative practices can change school environments for the better.
