10 Years of Improving School Security: Recapping the PASS Town Hall

Ten years ago, on a drive home after talking to a Chicago school district about its security challenges, PASS Board Chair Chuck Wilson had a lot on his mind.

He had spent the day with school staff, walking through their facilities and the surrounding neighborhood, and he wondered: How safe do the students and teachers feel in this environment? Do safety concerns distract from the reason they gather every day, to learn?

He couldn’t get these questions out of his mind, so he called the Security Industry Association (SIA) from the road. By the time he pulled into his driveway that evening, the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) was born. On the heels of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2013, both SIA and NSCA had been developing their own practical approaches to creating safer schools—but that single conversation convinced them to combine their efforts with the formation of PASS.

Fast forward to 2024. PASS now has a fully engaged team of volunteers, including subject-matter experts and advisors, as well as its own 501(c)(3) designation and even a headquarters office. It’s recognizing a major milestone this year, as well: a decade of selfless work by volunteers who contribute to the organization’s mission of providing administrators, school boards, and public safety and security professionals with resources to implement a tiered and tailored approach to school security.

To share news on PASS efforts and introduce what’s new, PASS hosted its first Town Hall in April, an effort it intends to make every year. Partners, school and government security leaders, and other organizations that provide school security services and solutions united to share their passion for school security. The Town Hall was held in conjunction with ISC West at the Venetian Convention & Expo Center in Las Vegas.

To reflect on the last decade, PASS board members shared their thoughts on the past, present, and future of school safety and the critical role that PASS will play.

Spotlighting the People: PASS Partners and Volunteers

To communicate its mission and help its tools and resources permeate the industry, PASS relies on a coalition of experts. This strong community of 150+ PASS partner organizations, associations, volunteers, and board members—all safety and security advocates—works every day to meet the needs of schools around the country.

“There are so many people trying to make our schools safer,” explained Scott Dunn, SIA board member, PASS advisor, and senior director of business development, solutions, and services for Axis Communications.

“What we really want to do is build one collaborative effort that we can all get behind so that Washington and state legislators cannot ignore us. We want legislation to drive that national security standard.”

Highlighting the Programs: PASS Guidelines

Guy Grace, PASS Advisory Council chair, K-12 National Security Program manager for ASSA ABLOY, and former director of Security and Emergency Planning for Denver’s Littleton Public Schools, made sure everyone in the room understood the ongoing value of PASS:

“We save lives and protect lives on a daily basis.”

Its impact is due in large part to the tools PASS offers—which are created by its team of partners and volunteers. Schools need roadmaps to follow, and PASS provides guidance to help them develop practical, effective approaches to security based on location, budget, and risk profile.

For example, the PASS School Safety and Security Guidelines provide the most comprehensive information available on best practices for securing K-12 schools. In 2025, PASS will release the seventh iteration of the PASS School Safety and Security Guidelines. The Guidelines have been referenced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Commission on School Safety, and the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services program.

The PASS School Security Checklist allows administrators and security officers to assess the state of safety and security in their school or district compared to nationwide best practices.

Recognizing Individual Contributions to School Security

As PASS continues to grow, it also continues to find new ways to recognize individuals who selflessly act to keep others safe. 

At the Town Hall, PASS was proud to present the first ever PASS Volunteer of the Year award to Mark Williams, former board chairperson  for PASS. Serving the security and safety consulting industry for more than 30 years, Williams also serves on the technical committee for NFPA 3000, Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program.

Granted annually, the award recognizes a school safety and security leader whose selfless contributions of time and talent help keep students safe.

Wilson also announced the launch of the Ivey’s Everyday Heroes award. Developed in memory of Loyd Ivey, founder of AtlasIED, Ivey’s Everyday Heroes will recognize students, staff, faculty, resource officers, and administrators who exhibit courageous acts to step forward and keep others safe. Each year, a school or organization affiliated with the Ivey’s Everyday Heroes award will receive a $25,000 grant to use for school safety and security purposes. Nomination applications will be available soon.

If you are interested in becoming involved in, donating to, or nominating someone for an Ivey’s Everyday Heroes award, contact Chuck Wilson.

PASS Is Making an Impact Everywhere

By the end of the Town Hall, the impact of PASS was clear—and it’s evident in the numbers, too. According to Grace, there are 60 million students and 10 million staff and volunteers who enter our nation’s 130,000 school facilities every day. As these numbers grow, so does industry involvement in PASS.

Since 2021, PASS has experienced a:

• 396% increase in partnerships. 
• 170% increase in website user sessions.
• 444% increase in School Safety & Security Guidelines downloads.

Learn more about partnering with PASS to protect our nation’s schools.

The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) bringing together expertise from the education, public safety, and industry communities to develop and support a coordinated approach to making effective and appropriate decisions with respect to safety and security investments. You can download the complete PASS Guidelines here, or check out our PASS Safety and Security Checklist for quick tips on how to get started.  These resources—as well as white papers on various topics including barricade devices, lockdown drills, and more—are available at no cost.