ALICE Training for Schools: A Complete Guide to Active Shooter Response

What if hiding under desks isn’t enough?

Most schools still rely on lockdown-only drills – an outdated response the Department of Education moved away from years ago. In critical moments, waiting passively can cost lives. That’s why more schools are adopting ALICE Training, a proactive, options-based strategy built to improve real outcomes.

This guide breaks down how ALICE works and why it’s becoming the new standard in school safety:

• What ALICE Training is and how it improves emergency response
• Key differences from traditional lockdown drills
• Implementation, certification, and how to prepare your school community

What is ALICE Training?

ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. It’s a response framework developed to help schools and organizations react more effectively during active shooter incidents. 

Unlike passive lockdown protocols, ALICE teaches people how to make informed, split-second decisions to improve their chances of survival.

It’s not about teaching kids to fight. It’s about giving them age-appropriate options—like when to hide, how to escape, or how to create distractions if there's no other choice. ALICE Training is structured, scenario-based, and trauma-informed.

It replaces fear with action. Panic with a plan.

Why ALICE Training Matters for School Safety

Most active shooter incidents are over in minutes. 

According to an FBI-supported study, 60% of events between 2000 and 2013 ended before law enforcement could even arrive. That leaves schools alone in the most critical window when decisions matter most. 

                                                      Image source: Active Shooter Incidents in the US 

That’s where ALICE steps in.

It equips schools to act during those first moments—when staff and students are already facing the threat. The training focuses on helping individuals assess the situation and respond with the best option available, whether that’s locking down, evacuating, or creating a distraction.

But not all experts agree on how far that training should go. 

Ken Trump, a school safety specialist, argues that expecting untrained children to take action under pressure is unrealistic and potentially dangerous. He emphasizes that staff, not students, should be the ones making split-second decisions.

Here’s where ALICE can still bring value:

• It provides clear, age-appropriate response options for different scenarios
• It replaces passive drills with realistic training that improves recall under stress
• It aligns with updated federal safety guidance, helping reduce legal and reputational risk

Training alone won’t prevent violence—but it can help people inside the building respond faster, with more control, and with a better chance of saving lives.

How ALICE Training for Schools Differs from Traditional Methods

Most traditional lockdown drills follow a simple script: turn off the lights, lock the doors, stay silent, and wait. That approach was never designed for modern threats, it was built for different times, different dangers.

ALICE changes that by recognizing one simple truth: not every threat looks the same, so the response shouldn’t either.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all protocol, ALICE trains staff and students to assess the situation and choose the best option whether that means locking down, evacuating, or disrupting the attacker’s ability to cause harm.

Here’s how ALICE stands apart:

• It’s dynamic, not passive
  Lockdowns are still part of the plan but not the only option. ALICE adds layers like communication, movement, and distraction, depending on the situation.
  
  
• It focuses on decision-making, not just compliance
  Staff and older students are taught to think on their feet, not freeze and wait for instruction. This helps reduce confusion and panic in high-stress moments.
  
  
• It includes training for the whole school
  ALICE offers tailored approaches for everyone from teachers and bus drivers to support staff and students with special needs.

Traditional drills aim to contain. ALICE trains for response because containment alone doesn’t stop an active shooter.

Benefits of ALICE Training for Schools

ALICE builds real-world readiness into your safety plans. It goes beyond checklists and prepares people to act under pressure.

Key outcomes:

• Staff and students gain clarity on what to do in different scenarios
• Drills and training improve response time and coordination
• Adoption signals that your school is following state and federal best practices, reducing liability

A school that trains together responds faster, smarter, and with more control when every second matters.

The Role of Active Shooter Response Training in Schools

Safety plans on paper don’t save lives; training does.

Active shooter response training plays a direct role in reducing casualties by preparing staff and students to act before law enforcement arrives. More than half of active shooter events end within minutes. If a school isn’t trained to respond in that window, it’s not truly prepared.

Training also helps schools:

• Identify weak points in existing protocols
• Build consistency across campuses
• Improve communication flow during emergencies

Active shooter training gives schools a way to close the gap between the first sign of danger and the moment help arrives.

Most incidents are over in minutes. Without training, that window is lost to panic and confusion.

What this training really does is turn a written emergency plan into something people can actually execute under stress, with urgency, and with purpose.

Response Techniques for Students and Staff

ALICE customizes response techniques based on age, role, and ability. Teachers won’t receive the same instruction as second graders—and that’s intentional.

For students:

• Younger kids focus on listening to adults, locking doors, and staying quiet
• Older students learn when to move, how to escape, and how to create distractions if absolutely necessary
• All student training is age-appropriate and trauma-informed

For staff:

• Educators, administrators, and support staff are trained to lead under pressure
• Real-world scenarios help them learn how to decide between locking down, evacuating, or countering
• Hands-on training improves muscle memory and reduces freeze response

Effective response looks different depending on who you are and where you are in the building.

ALICE provides clear, age-appropriate guidance:

• Students learn how to follow instructions, move to safety, or create distance from danger
• Staff train on making real-time decisions, giving clear directions, and leading evacuations when needed
• Everyone from bus drivers to cafeteria staff knows their role

This reduces hesitation and helps each person take action when it counts most.

Benefits of Proactive Protocols in Emergency Situations

Waiting passively during a crisis increases the risk of harm. Proactive training changes that by helping people take informed action, fast.

These protocols lead to:

• Faster recognition of threats
• More consistent communication across staff and students
• Increased survival rates during critical incidents

A school that practices proactive response isn’t just prepared on paper; it’s ready in real life.

When schools train reactively, responses tend to be slow and uncertain. With proactive strategies like ALICE:

• Staff know when to move and when to stay
• Students aren’t left waiting for someone else to decide
• Real-time information keeps everyone aligned with the situation as it unfolds

In an emergency, confusion kills time and time is everything. Proactive protocols shrink the gap between awareness and action.

Inside the ALICE Training Program

The ALICE program follows a blended learning model: online instruction for foundational knowledge, followed by in-person, scenario-based training. This format helps schools introduce the material at scale and reinforce it through hands-on application.

It includes role-specific modules for:

• Educators
• Administrators
• Support staff (bus drivers, cafeteria staff, custodians)
• Students, with adaptations for age and ability

The goal is to build consistency across your entire campus so everyone responds with the same language, the same logic, and a shared plan.

What Should Schools Expect During ALICE Training?

Expect a mix of eLearning, interactive discussions, and physical walkthroughs.

Instructors lead staff through real-world simulations like classroom evacuations, communication drills, and barricade techniques. Training sessions often include:

• Scenario planning with different threat levels
• Debriefs to reflect on decisions made
• Safety planning tailored to each school’s layout and population

It’s not a one-time session. Schools that implement ALICE treat it as an evolving part of their safety culture – updated, practiced, and reinforced throughout the year.

Key Components of Active Shooter Training

ALICE breaks down emergency response into simple, trainable components that can be applied under stress:

• Alert: Recognize the threat and communicate it immediately
• Lockdown: Secure rooms quickly, with a plan to adapt if needed
• Inform: Share real-time updates to guide better decision-making
• Counter: Create distractions only when evacuation is not possible
• Evacuate: Leave the danger zone using the fastest, safest path – even if it’s unconventional

Each step is backed by behavioral science and real-world case studies, not theory.

The Importance of Drills and Simulations

Knowing what to do is one thing. Practicing it is what makes it stick.

Drills help schools:

• Test response plans under pressure
• Identify weaknesses in layout or communication
• Build muscle memory in students and staff

Schools that practice regularly respond faster and with fewer mistakes when it matters most. Drills aren’t about perfection. They’re about learning in motion.

Engaging Students and Staff in Response Training

Engagement starts with relevance. ALICE training meets each group where they are.

For staff, that means real scenarios and decision-making tools. For students, it means age-appropriate discussions that focus on following instructions and staying calm.

Tips for engagement:

• Use visual aids, roleplay, and interactive exercises
• Reinforce training throughout the year, not just once
• Adapt the message for students with special needs or trauma histories

When people understand the why behind what they’re learning, they take training seriously and that’s what saves time and lives.

ALICE Training Certification: Is It Required?

Certification isn’t legally mandated in most states; but it’s quickly becoming an industry standard for schools serious about emergency preparedness.

There are two main certification paths:

• ALICE Certified Instructor (ACI): For staff members who lead onsite training
• eLearning Certification: For individuals who complete online ALICE courses

Having certified staff shows that your school is following recognized safety protocols and can reduce liability in the aftermath of an incident. It also ensures your training is consistent, up-to-date, and led by someone who understands both the content and the context.

If you're relying on in-house safety plans without certified training, you’re likely missing critical pieces.

Challenges in Implementing ALICE Training

Like any change in safety policy, ALICE can meet resistance—especially when it involves new behaviors or emotionally charged scenarios.

Here’s what schools often struggle with:

• Parent concerns around teaching children to “counter” or move during an attack
• Staff discomfort with deviating from traditional lockdown-only methods
• Time and budget constraints for full training implementation
• Lack of legal clarity in states without specific active shooter training regulations

What helps? 

Clear communication. Schools that share the research, training goals, and safety priorities behind ALICE often get more support than pushback. Start with internal alignment, and build outward from there.

Want Safer Schools Without the Guesswork? Start here. 

You’ve seen why outdated lockdown drills don’t cut it anymore and how ALICE Training fills the gap with options that actually prepare people for real emergencies.

• ALICE replaces passive lockdowns with flexible, decision-ready strategies
• Students and staff train to act – not freeze under pressure
• Hands-on simulations improve recall and reduce confusion in critical moments
• Certification builds legal protection and confidence across your campus

If your school’s safety plan still feels reactive or incomplete, Coram can help. From access control to surveillance, it’s built to work alongside protocols like ALICE – making safety smarter, faster, and more reliable.

Looking for a solution that not only offers smarter and faster security but top-notch security products as well? Book a demo today and see how we can help.