SCASD Finalizes 2025-26 School Safety Plan

Enhanced Security Measures for State College Area School District

Starting with the 2025-26 academic year, students in grades six through twelve in the State College Area School District will experience new regular security measures. These changes were announced by Superintendent Curtis Johnson in a message to families on Tuesday. The updates come as a result of a comprehensive review of the district's safety protocols following an alleged school shooting plot at State High that was thwarted by police in April.

The new protocols were developed in collaboration with law enforcement recommendations and input from community members and student leaders. According to Johnson, these measures align with guidelines from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and are designed to strengthen existing K-12 practices such as daily attendance checks and regular drills for evacuation, lockdowns, and severe weather.

Student ID Requirements

Secondary students will now be required to wear an ID at all times while on school grounds. The district will distribute new IDs and breakaway lanyards to all students on the first day of school. These IDs will include the student’s preferred name, photo, and a QR code that can be scanned to display the student number. This feature allows for immediate visual and digital identification of enrolled students, providing quick access to critical information during emergencies.

While lanyards will be provided, students may use their own or alternative display options as long as they meet attire standards and ensure the ID remains visible at all times. Once the new IDs are distributed, all students at State High, Delta Middle, and Delta High will need to scan their IDs upon entering the buildings. Old IDs, screenshots, and PowerSchool IDs on phones will no longer be accepted.

Park Forest and Mount Nittany middle school students will not be required to scan their IDs upon entry, but random checks will be conducted at the doors and in homerooms.

Random Searches and Metal Detectors

The district will also conduct random searches at all secondary buildings throughout the school year. These searches will be similar to those implemented temporarily in the spring, when bag searches and metal detectors were used at student arrival. A policy approved by the school board at its July 21 meeting outlines the circumstances under which random or general searches, individualized suspicion searches, searches upon consent, and searches at the request of law enforcement can occur.

Metal detectors will not be used on a daily basis. However, the school board approved a metal detector policy that authorizes district administration to use walk-through or hand-held metal detectors "in circumstances when reasonable suspicion is identified." This includes situations where there is reliable information that students are in possession of weapons, a pattern of weapons being found on school property, or instances of violence involving weapons.

The metal detector policy also allows for the use of metal detectors in random searches.

Commitment to Safety

"As always, safety and security is our top priority, and we believe these measures will enhance the security of our entire school community," Johnson wrote in his message. He thanked families for their support and cooperation as the district implements these new protocols.

The school's security protocols have faced increased scrutiny following the April threat, when a former student was arrested for allegedly plotting to use guns and explosive devices in an attack on the school. A Centre County judge bound over for trial charges of conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful possession of a firearm against 20-year-old Braeden Phillips and denied his request for bail at a preliminary hearing. Phillips is currently incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility while awaiting trial.