Public vs. Private: How School Safety Needs Differ

School safety is a universal concern, but the approaches to emergency management can vary significantly between public and private educational institutions. In a recent episode of "Talking Technology with ATLIS," Marshall Singer, co-founder and CFO of Ruvna, shared valuable insights on these differences based on his experience working with schools across both sectors.

Different Frameworks, Same Goals

Public and private schools share the same fundamental goal of keeping students safe, but their operational frameworks often differ substantially.

"In the public school arena, things are a little more prescribed," explained Marshall Singer. "There are usually state mandates, state guidelines, that while they apply to private schools, typically, I would say, at a lighter degree."

This regulatory difference creates both advantages and challenges. Public school districts often implement standardized emergency protocols across all their schools, ensuring consistency but sometimes at the expense of adapting to each school's unique environment. A substitute teacher working at different schools within a district will follow the same emergency procedures regardless of location, providing much-needed continuity.

However, this standardization can create challenges when trying to apply identical processes to campuses with different physical layouts, entrances, and community dynamics.

The Open Campus Challenge

One of the most significant differences between many private (independent) schools and their public counterparts is the campus design philosophy.

"I would almost say that's one of the benefits and opportunities that independent schools have is the open campus," noted Singer. "Safety is not a one-stop shop. It's not a one size fits all. It's finding guidelines and meeting the goals, which are accountability, awareness, planning, knowledge within the framework that your community likes to do."

This open-campus approach, common in independent schools, presents unique security considerations:

• Visitor Management: When campuses are designed to be welcoming and accessible, distinguishing between welcome visitors and potential threats requires sophisticated systems.
• Student Accountability: During emergencies, tracking students across sprawling grounds with multiple buildings demands robust solutions beyond traditional methods.
• Balance with School Culture: Independent schools must implement safety measures that don't compromise the community feel that families specifically chose.

For urban schools, these challenges intensify. Singer described the scenario: "Imagine you're a school on the Upper West Side and you have to do an evacuation, but you're on 63rd Street, and there are 400 people walking down the block. How do you reconcile knowing who you've got with who these other people just are right there?"

Community Engagement: A Key Difference

A critical distinction between public and private school safety approaches lies in community engagement levels.

"People are paying to go to independent schools, and so the level of buy-in from parents, from teachers, from students, is just higher," Singer observed. This creates opportunities to engage "really knowledgeable people" in crafting safety solutions that align with the school's values and culture.

This engagement extends to safety expectations as well. Since COVID-19, independent schools have experienced an increase in parent inquiries about safety protocols, often beginning during the admissions process.

As Hiram Cuevas, Director of Information Systems and Academic Technology at St. Christopher's School, noted during the podcast: "It's the most popular question that we're starting to experience. I think even within the admissions process, a lot of families are very interested in, what are you doing in order to keep my child safe?"

Finding Solutions That Honor School Culture

The most successful safety approaches in independent schools leverage technology to enhance security without compromising the school's unique atmosphere.

Rather than implementing one-size-fits-all solutions, independent schools typically seek customizable platforms that can:

1. Integrate with existing student information systems
2. Adapt to complex campus layouts
3. Support the school's specific community culture
4. Provide real-time accountability during emergencies
5. Maintain the openness that families value

As Singer emphasized: "At the end of the day, safety is not a one-stop shop. It's finding guidelines and meeting the goals, which are accountability, awareness, planning, knowledge within the framework that your community likes to do."

Moving Beyond "Security Theater"

Both public and private schools must guard against what Bill Stites, Director of Technology at Montclair Kimberley Academy, referred to as "security theater" — implementing measures that create an illusion of safety without providing substantive protection.

Real safety comes from systems that deliver accurate accountability, efficient communication, and coordinated responses during emergencies. This requires thoughtful integration of technology with human processes, regardless of whether the school is public or private.

The Path Forward

As safety concerns continue to evolve, both public and private schools face the challenge of balancing security with maintaining positive learning environments. While their approaches may differ based on regulatory requirements and community expectations, the fundamental goals remain the same.

The most effective solutions acknowledge each school's unique culture while providing robust emergency response capabilities that deliver real results, not just reassuring appearances. By understanding these sector-specific differences, schools can implement safety measures that protect students while preserving the educational environment that best serves their community.

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This article is part of our "ATLIS Leadership Series: Part 2" where we explore three key topics from the full podcast episode. Part 1 examined the evolution of school safety and tech-enabled solutions. Watch for our upcoming installment on vetting safety technology vendors. To hear the complete conversation and other highlights, listen to the full ATLIS podcast episode or schedule a personalized Ruvna demo to learn how our solution adapts to your school's unique environment.

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