The hidden cost of school security

This study examines how much districts spend on security, how they use those resources, and the extent to which spending differs across districts.

As education policymakers press for additional security initiatives in schools, it is important to understand the costs borne by school systems for these programs. Thus far, the scholarly literature is silent on this issue and the professional literature and mass media offer only anecdotal accounts. In this study, we use financial data from Texas and the National Center for Education Statistics’ School Survey on Crime and Safety to examine how much districts spend on security, how they use those resources, and the extent to which spending differs across districts. The intent is to provide a comprehensive and more refined account of school security costs than is presently available.