College of Education and Human Development

Samantha Viano, Faculty in the School of Education, Receives U.S. Department of Justice Grant to Study How School Security Equipment Affects Student Outcomes

Samantha Viano

Samantha Viano, associate professor in the School of Education at George Mason University, has received a $1.7 million grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) of the U.S. Department of Justice in support of a project titled, “The Impact of School Security Equipment on Students and Schools.” The goals of this project are to: 1) identify the impact of school security equipment (SSE) grants on school violence, safety, and related outcomes; 2) determine whether the impact of these grants varies depending on the type of security equipment installed, the student demographic, and the level of school within the K-12 education system—information that could lead to more targeted security grants with fewer adverse impacts on students; 3) identify the universe of SSE through the compilation of a security contract database; 4) understand the reasons why schools apply for SSE grants; and, 5) contextualize study findings through participatory action research with youth.

As Principal Investigator of the study, Viano is leading a research team that includes Lucy Sorensen (University at Albany), Trevor Fronius (WestEd), Benjamin W. Fisher (University of Wisconsin—Madison), and Meagan Call-Cummings (Johns Hopkins University). The study focuses on the impact of SSE on school- and student-level safety, climate, disciplinary, and juvenile justice outcomes at all levels of K-12 education.

Viano elaborated on why this study is important. She stated, “This initiative is crucial because it addresses whether the billions of dollars U.S. schools are spending on security equipment is leading to the intended outcomes. Despite the substantial funding, there is limited causal evidence on the effectiveness of SSE in improving school safety. This study aims to fill this gap by providing rigorous, mixed-methods research to inform educational policy and practice.”

A unique aspect of this initiative is the direct involvement and engagement of students through Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) within George Mason’s Youth Research Council. As explained on the university’s Youth Research Council website, YPAR is a type of community-engaged research designed and conducted by youth, in collaboration with adult mentors. Approximately 50 youth from over 20 high schools in Virginia will participate in co-designing and co-facilitating research as part of Viano’s study. She explains that this approach will ensure that the findings of the study include the perspectives of students who are the individuals most significantly affected by the installation of school security measures.

When asked about why she became involved in this project, Viano emphasized, “My motivation stems from what I believe is an urgent need to address school violence and the lack of empirical evidence on the effectiveness of school security equipment. This project aligns with my interest in educational policy, school safety, and equity, aiming to provide actionable guidance for schools and policymakers.”

In concluding her remarks, Viano expressed her hope that this study will facilitate a public policy debate on how school security measures can potentially negatively impact marginalized student populations. She stated, “This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of school security equipment and its differential impacts on marginalized students. I am hopeful that the findings could lead to more targeted and equitable SSE grant programs, ensuring that SSE implementation enhances safety without disproportionately harming marginalized students.”

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) extends its congratulations to Samantha Viano on her selection for this award from the National Institute of Justice within the U.S. Department of Justice. This study is one of several important research initiatives led by Viano that will help close the gap in the available data and evidence needed to enhance our understanding of how security measures can affect student outcomes in K-12 schools.