Active Shooter Training for Schools

Prepare your schools to respond to violent critical incidents.

In today’s world, preparedness is the foundation of school safety. Active shooter incidents are unpredictable and unfold rapidly, often ending before law enforcement officers or first responders can intervene. ALICE Active Shooter Response Training equips schools with proactive, age- and ability-appropriate strategies designed to save lives.

Why Schools Need ALICE Training®

United States federal and state agencies increasingly acknowledge the limitations of lockdown-only protocols in emergencies. The NFPA 3000 Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program underscores the importance of multi-option procedures, as research demonstrates that rigid, single-option approaches can inadvertently heighten risk.

Alignment with Leading Safety Standards

ALICE Training® meets or exceeds the standard of care recommended by federal and state safety organizations. Schools can feel confident that they are receiving the right training to help them implement best practices. 

Options-Based Approach to Training

ALICE empowers individuals with proactive, multi-option strategies, such as evacuation, enhanced lockdown, and counter techniques, to adapt effectively to the dynamics of an active shooter situation. This flexibility equips individuals with the options to act decisively, improving safety outcomes.

Trauma-Informed & Age- and Ability-Appropriate

ALICE Training® is carefully designed to minimize fear and avoid re-traumatization. By using a trauma-informed approach, training is delivered in ways that are sensitive to the diverse experiences and emotional needs of participants. Content is age-appropriate and developmentally tailored, ensuring that students and staff build confidence and readiness without feeling overwhelmed or frightened.

Blended Learning Approach

ALICE Training® combines online eLearning with in-person sessions to maximize understanding and retention. eLearning modules provide foundational knowledge, allowing participants to learn at their own pace, while in-person training reinforces key concepts through hands-on practice. preparing individuals to take action in emergencies

Comprehensive Resources for Educators

Teachers and administrators are supported with lesson plans and visual aids that simplify the process of introducing critical safety concepts. These tools are designed to be easily understood and internalized by students, fostering a culture of readiness without fear.

The Power of ALICE: Proven Results

Through training and preparation, schools that adopt ALICE see improvements in confidence, communication, and response effectiveness. Real-world examples highlight the program’s impact.

West Liberty-Salem’s Story: After undergoing ALICE Training®, staff acted swiftly during an active shooter incident, successfully implementing their training to protect students. Read their story here and hear an administrator’s account of ALICE’s impact on his school.

“I always thought that it would never happen here. That goes to show it’s very important for everybody to have some sort of response and training such as ALICE to make sure you’re ready to respond to a dangerous situation.”
Kraig Hissong

Superintendent, West Liberty-Salem Schools

The ALICE Method

The ALICE Method empowers individuals to respond confidently and effectively during violent incidents. By offering an options-based approach, this method adapts to the dynamic nature of emergencies.

A

 

Alert – Recognize and communicate the initial signs of danger clearly and quickly.

L

 

Lockdown – Secure doors and entry points while preparing for further protective measures.

I

 

Inform – Share real-time information to improve decision-making for staff and students.

C

 

Counter – As a last resort, use distraction and disruption techniques to reduce an assailant’s ability to cause harm.

E

 

Evacuate – Remove individuals from harm whenever it is safe to do so.

What Educators Are Saying About ALICE Training®

With most active shooter incidents ending before police officers are able to arrive, school staff are often the first responders. Make sure they have the training they need to feel prepared to respond.

“The online and in-person modality choices, trauma-informed delivery, and options-based strategies build participant confidence and teach effective preparedness and response skills used to survive in a violent incident.”
Mike Lubelfeld

Superintendent, North Shore School District 112

“I cannot express how much I enjoyed the training. It was very empowering, and we are eager to train our staff and students to employ these measures.”
K-12 School Administrator

“…so for 20 years I’ve taught scared. I have been afraid of the day somebody wants to walk through that door with a gun… I said, look this is not okay, and I found ALICE. It’s just been so incredibly empowering.”
Cheryl Bridges

Kindergarten Teacher

“On behalf of the entire school district – students, teachers, staff, administrators, board – I would like to express our deep appreciation to the folks from ALICE for helping us take the first big step in changing our protocol for school safety.”
Bill C.

School Board Member

“The incident at Chardon really hit home. It made me grateful for the work that we have done with the Harden County Sheriff’s Department to implement a program called ALICE.”
Emmy Davis

Superintendent, Ridgemont Local Schools

“I was very impressed with the program and even learned a few ideas I hadn’t considered before! Very well done and I’m glad that our school system is ready to adopt this kind of system for protecting our kids!”
Samantha Ruebel

Teacher

Safeguard Your School Community

ALICE Training® isn’t just about compliance—it’s about empowering every member of your school community to act with confidence during emergencies. By integrating trauma-informed, age-appropriate strategies, ALICE helps schools be equipped to protect themselves.

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