Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility
The safety of our students and staff is reliant on building trusted partnerships with parents, students and school communities across the district. To foster partnership, we asked parents and students for their take on school safety.
Listen to their voices in the videos below to learn about how we can work together to provide for the safety of all students and staff. Watching these videos with your child also opens the door to a discussion on safety topics so you can utilize the tools and resources outlined on this page to help them — and you — feel safe.
Our Approach to School Safety
Our Approach to School Safety
How We Support the Whole Student
- Rigorous Safety Protocols: Ensuring physical safety in all school spaces, from classrooms to playgrounds.
- Community Collaboration: Working together with community members for a united approach to safety.
- Resource Investment: We channel support into focused interventions and programming, cultivating a vibrant educational environment that benefits both students and their families.
Safety Measures at CPS Schools
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Visitor Management System
Every District-run school has been provided with the new Visitor Management System (VMS), which electronically tracks visitors who enter and exit the school building to ensure the safety of students, staff, and visitors alike.
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Professionally Trained Security Staff
Innovative and relevant training opportunities are provided to security personnel on an annual basis. All sessions are designed to provide security personnel with knowledge of best practices, policies, and procedures to ensure all students, staff, and visitors are safe, inside and outside of our schools.
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Emergency Response Plans for Every School
Each school has a customized emergency management plan that includes emergency protocols, contact information, communication procedures, and evacuation plans that are specific to their building.
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Emergency Training Video
Annually, schools review the Emergency Response Training video to reinforce the actions that should be taken in various types of emergencies. During this time, schools also review their school-specific emergency protocols.
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Compliance with Annual Safety Drills
Both CPS and State Legislation require that every school complete annual safety drills to ensure their preparedness to respond in the event of an emergency. These required drills include fire and evacuation, lockdown, severe weather, allergen, bus evacuation, and aquatic (where applicable).
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Access to the Student Safety Center
The Student Safety Center is the district’s 24/7 command center for safety communications. All emergency incidents can be reported to 773-553-3335.
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Access to CPS Safety Managers
Every school has an assigned Safety Manager team that is available at all times for questions, support, guidance and to address any safety concerns that may arise.
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Access to the Crisis Management Unit
Licensed clinicians attend to the emotional and psychological well-being of school communities when school crises occur. This team is responsible for supporting school-based crisis teams when there is an incident and proactively setting up supports and structures at a local level.
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Safe Passage Program
The Chicago Public Schools Safe Passage program is offered to select schools to provide a positive, trusted adult presence for students as they travel to and from school.
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Safe School Audits
The Safe Schools Audit is a tool used to assess safety conditions, promote and ensure safe learning environments, and develop solutions for physical safety concerns at all CPS schools.
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Monitoring for Worrisome Behaviors
School staff and our Central Office team are on the lookout for concerning, open source social media posts. Every concerning social media post brought to our attention is thoroughly investigated in collaboration with our city partners.
If you become aware of a concerning social media post, contact the school’s administration immediately with as much information as possible (screenshots, social media platform name, account name, etc.). If it is after school hours please contact the Student Safety Center at 773-553-3335 or studentsafety@cps.edu.
Student Safety Center
The Student Safety Center is the district’s 24/7 command center for safety communications. All emergency incidents can be reported to 773-553-3335.
CPS Background Check Process
CPS manages a robust district-wide background check process for employees, vendor employees, volunteers, Local School Council members, and charter school partners.