If you're a school administrator reading this, chances are someone — a board member, a parent, a state legislator — has already asked you what you're doing to improve school safety.
And you might be wondering where to start, how much it will cost, and how you're supposed to find the money for it.
You're not alone. Over the past two years, school shooting incidents reached an all-time high according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, which tracks every incident involving a gun on school grounds. While the data shows a decrease in incidents in 2025, the trend over the prior years has accelerated the national conversation and legislative responses.
Throughout the country, states have introduced new or updated legislation requiring schools to upgrade their physical security along with adding other school safety solutions.
For instance, Missouri requires bullet-resistant doors and windows at all first-floor entryways. Tennessee requires secure vestibules at all main school entrances. More states are updating their standards every year.
Many of these laws also mandate school security systems such as alarms, silent panic buttons, video surveillance, and lockdown procedures, reflecting a broader recognition that physical barriers work best when paired with electronic security systems and strong protocol.
While the legislation primarily applies to public schools, this doesn't mean private schools shouldn't also implement them if their goal is keeping students safe. Many of these updates also translate to campus safety at colleges and universities.
The good news is that you don't need to bulletproof every window in the building to create a safer learning environment.
As a leading provider of custom bullet-resistant barriers, we've worked with thousands of schools and security teams across the country, and we help them prioritize upgrades that deliver the most protection for their budget.
That starts with strengthening your building's main entrance.
This post walks you through the three main approaches to school entryway security, how to choose among them, and what to expect from the process.
The Entryway Is Your First Line of Defense To Protect Students
If you can funnel every student, parent, vendor, and visitor through a single controlled access point, you've dramatically reduced the number of ways someone who poses a potential threat can enter the building.
A well-designed entryway slows an attacker down, affording staff time to respond and first responders time to arrive in emergency situations. That delay is the whole point.
There's also a practical reason to start here. Most school buildings already have structural advantages that work in their favor, such as concrete block walls or existing vestibule spaces.
That said, all the bulletproofing in the world won't matter if a staff member props a door open. Physical barriers are one layer of a security strategy. They work best when paired with consistent access control protocols, trained staff, and a school community that understands why these measures exist.
Three Approaches to School Entryway Security
While there isn't one universal approach for every school, these are three effective options we see most often for early intervention.
1. Harden the Existing Exterior Entry
This approach involves upgrading the existing exterior entryway by replacing doors, upgrading glazing, and adding electronic access control without changing the fundamental layout.
It works best when the existing vestibule space is already reasonably configured for controlled access.
What this typically includes:
- Installing bullet-resistant doors tested to the UL 752 Standard for Bullet-Resisting Equipment, the most common industry standard. It classifies material into eight levels depending on the type of weapons and number of shots it can withstand.
- Replacing standard windows with ballistic glazing. All-glass and glass-clad polycarbonate (GCP) glazing options are available in insulated configurations.
Making these upgrades means you'll also typically need to upgrade door and window frames. Bullet-resistant glass is heavier and thicker than standard glass and ballistic doors are as well.. Skipping this step leads to sagging, bowing, and eventually a compromised system.
Not every window or door requires ballistic protection. For those that don't, schools often use standard glass and sometimes reinforce it with security window film, which is specified in some legislation.
We developed SchoolDefender® Glass as a significantly stronger alternative to window film designed to resist repeated forced entry attempts.
While it is not designed to stop bullets, this laminated glass-clad polycarbonate pane is independently tested to ASTM F1233, the standard for forced entry resistant security glazing. We can install it without replacing existing frames, making it a practical upgrade for many existing school entryways.
2. Create a Secure Vestibule
This is the approach we recommend and install most often. In addition to upgrading the exterior doors, frames and side-lite windows we also upgrade or create an interior set to create a fully secure vestibule.
When a visitor enters through the exterior door, they can't get through the interior doors without approval. An integrated access control system — typically an intercom and camera at the entry point — allows office staff to see and speak with the visitor before deciding whether to buzz them through the interior door.
This works well with your school's broader security ecosystem. Video security systems covering the vestibule give staff a clear view of everyone who enters.
Access control systems manage who can pass through each door. And if your school has a silent panic alarm — now required or recommended in many states — a secure vestibule buys the critical time those systems need to bring first responders to the scene.
TSS specializes in the physical barrier components of this type, including the bullet-resistant glazing, framing, and doors.
Video security systems, alarm systems, and access control electronics are typically provided by a security integrator, and we regularly collaborate with integrators to make sure every element works together as a complete system.
This approach works especially well when:
- The existing exterior framing can't support full ballistic upgrades
- You want to create an area where a visitor can be held while being screened
- The building layout already includes a lobby or transitional space between the exterior and the main office
What a complete interior storefront system includes:
- A bullet-resistant window wall or curtain wall, often made of GCP, the most versatile option for high-visibility vestibules
- A transaction window with voice communication so staff can screen visitors without opening a door
- A bullet-resistant access door with an electric strike, controlled remotely from the front office
As you design this system, you'll need to consider how it will function during high-traffic arrival and dismissal windows. You'll also need to ensure the system meets fire codes and accessibility requirements.
Because every school building is different, these systems are typically custom designed to match the existing structure, security goals, and traffic flow. At Total Security Solutions, our in-house engineering and fabrication teams design each system to meet the required protection level while maintaining the building’s existing appearance.
3. Add an Interior Transaction Window
For schools that already have a controlled entryway and primarily need to protect front office staff — the people who interact directly with visitors before granting access to the building — a transaction window may be the most practical place to start.
A transaction window is a bullet-resistant glazing panel installed at the front desk with a speak-thru system and often a deal tray or package passer for exchanging documents without opening a door. These windows commonly use bullet-resistant acrylic or laminated polycarbonate glazing, depending on the required protection level., which delivers strong protection while preserving clarity.
Upgrading School Security at Five Virginia Schools
If your district has been putting off a security upgrade because you couldn't figure out when you'd have time to do it, here's one example of a project we completed on a tight timeframe.
After a high-profile school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, a Virginia school district decided they needed to better protect students and school staff against a specific type of rifle threat. They hired a security integrator, to conduct an on-site assessment and provide recommendations. That integrator brought TSS in as the ballistics partner for the project.
The district needed protection across five schools without disrupting the academic calendar. That meant installation had to happen during the weeklong winter break.
First, we sent three TSS representatives to Virginia to walk through each school, take exact measurements, and develop the design.
Once the pre-work was done, our engineering team designed ballistic storefront systems for each of the five buildings, matching the look and function of the existing architecture.
Each system included:
- Bullet-resistant glass and framing
- Fire-rated and ballistic steel doors
- Safe rooms with ballistic fiberglass panels
By the time students returned from break, every school was complete.
If your school has a break coming up, it's worth having a conversation now. Projects like these take lead time to plan, engineer, and fabricate, so the earlier you start that conversation, the more options you have.
Funding School Safety Upgrades
Budget is almost always part of this conversation.
Physical security upgrades are a significant investment, and most school districts can't do everything at once. The good news is that you don't have to.
A phased approach is both financially practical and strategically sound. Secure the main entryway first. Add secondary entries and classroom reinforcement in the next cycle. Expand to common areas as funding allows. Every step builds on the last.
There are also several funding programs worth knowing about:
- The COPS School Violence Prevention Program, managed by the U.S. Department of Justice, provides funding to eligible K–12 recipients over three years for a wide range of physical security improvements.
- FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides funding for physical security measures for organizations at high risk of attack, which may include schools in designated high-risk urban areas.
- Many states have their own grant programs. SchoolSafety.gov's Finder Tool is the best place to search what's available in your state.
Take the First Step Toward a Safer School
No two school buildings are exactly alike, and neither are their security needs.
The right solution depends on your building layout, operational needs, desired protection level, applicable state requirements, and budget.
Before you get too deep into product specifications, it helps to do a basic self-assessment of where you stand. Some of the key questions we ask when we first work with a school:
- Is the main entrance controlled by a locked door with intercom or buzzer access?
- Are exterior doors kept closed and locked during school hours?
- Do you have any existing ballistic glass or forced entry resistant glazing?
- Have you conducted a physical security risk assessment in the last two years?
- Have you identified potential phases for your project and funding sources?
If you're answering 'no' to most of these questions, or you're not sure how to answer them, that's OK!
At TSS, we follow a proven process that starts by assessing your needs, planning a custom solution and manufacturing it all in-house. We also manage delivery and installation to ensure every element fits together properly and matches your building's design.
For a more comprehensive self-assessment framework, including a 30-question checklist, state-by-state legislation overview, and funding guidance, download our free guide, How To Assess and Bulletproof Your School.
