LOCKDOWN DRILLS: Preparing Without Panic in Elementary Schools
When we talk about lockdown drills in elementary schools, the goal has always been clear: prepare students and staff so they know what to do if an emergency ever occurs. But in recent years, educators, researchers, and safety professionals have been asking an important follow-up question:
How do we prepare children without creating unnecessary fear?
This is not a theoretical concern. There is now credible research and professional guidance that helps us understand both the benefits and the risks of how lockdown drills are conducted, especially with young learners.
Let’s walk through what the research actually says, and what it means for elementary educators and School Resource Officers.
What Recent Research Tells Us About Drill Impact
In 2021, researchers affiliated with the organization Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund analyzed more than 50 million social media posts from K–12 communities before and after school lockdown drills.
Their study found measurable increases in anxiety, stress, and depression-related language following drills. The emotional impact was particularly notable in elementary communities.
While this type of study doesn’t measure clinical diagnosis, it does show a clear short-term emotional response.
Additionally, guidance from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) emphasizes that drills must be conducted in ways that do not simulate actual violence or surprise students with realistic threat scenarios. NASP has cautioned that highly realistic simulations, especially those involving actors, fake gunfire, or unannounced drills, can cause psychological distress.
At the federal level, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) has also reinforced that preparedness should focus on prevention, communication systems, and adult readiness, not fear-based simulations for children.
Taken together, the research does not suggest eliminating drills. It suggests improving how they are done.
Why Schools Are Shifting Away from High-Intensity Simulations
Over the past decade, some districts adopted highly realistic active shooter simulations in the name of preparedness. However, backlash from educators, families, and mental health professionals led to reevaluation.
Many states and districts are now explicitly discouraging:
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- Unannounced drills
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- Simulated gunfire or actors
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- Deceptive scenarios that cause panic
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- Graphic role-playing exercises
Professional organizations, including NASP, recommend that elementary drills:
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- Be announced in advance
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- Be age-appropriate
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- Avoid sensory simulation (no fake gunshots or yelling)
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- Focus on calm, procedural practice
The shift reflects a growing understanding of child development. Young children do not benefit from experiencing stress in order to “learn” the lesson. In fact, elevated stress can reduce information retention.
Preparation works best when children feel safe while learning what to do.
How Structured Storytelling Improves Comprehension
There is a reason educators use stories to teach everything from fire safety to social skills.
Research in developmental psychology consistently shows that young children learn best through:
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- Repetition
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- Predictable structure
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- Visual cues
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- Calm modeling
Stories provide all of these elements.
When a child hears a narrative that walks them through:
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- Where to go
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- What to do
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- Who helps them
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- What it feels like
They are building a mental script in a non-threatening way.
Structured storytelling:
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- Reduces ambiguity
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- Increases memory retention
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- Allows children to ask questions in a safe context
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- Normalizes practice as routine
In other words, children don’t need to experience panic to understand procedure. They need clarity and reassurance.
This is why many districts are moving toward classroom-based pre-teaching before drills occur. A gentle read-aloud, a visual chart, or a simple scripted explanation creates familiarity before practice begins.
And familiarity reduces fear.
Preparing Without Panic Is Not Lowering Standards
This is important to say clearly:
Choosing a calm, developmentally appropriate approach does not weaken school safety.
It strengthens it.
When children:
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- Understand the routine
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- Trust the adults guiding them
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- Feel emotionally regulated
They are far more likely to follow directions effectively in any emergency.
For School Resource Officers, this approach reinforces a powerful truth: your presence can represent stability, not alarm. For educators, it reinforces that your tone and modeling are the strongest tools in the room.
The Bottom Line
The research is not telling schools to stop preparing.
It is telling us to prepare wisely.
Elementary students do not need high-intensity simulations to learn safety procedures. They need:
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- Predictable routines
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- Calm adult leadership
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- Clear language
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- Opportunities to practice together
Preparation can feel steady.
Practice can feel routine.
Safety can feel supported.
When we prepare without panic, we protect both physical safety and emotional well-being, and that is the kind of school culture worth building.
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