Safe Schools start with all of us.
About Us
National Safe Schools Conference
The National Safe Schools Conference (NSSC) is a premier annual event dedicated to advancing school safety across the nation. Formerly known as the Safe Schools Conference, NSSC has been a trusted platform for 16 years and counting, uniting school safety professionals and community leaders around one common goal: creating safe, supportive, and resilient learning environments. We bring together a diverse community of educators, law enforcement professionals, counselors, administrators, safety directors, mental health experts, and community leaders—all united by a shared commitment to school safety.
Through expert-led sessions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative discussions, NSSC empowers attendees with the tools, strategies, and connections needed to address today’s most pressing school safety challenges—including bullying prevention, crisis response, threat assessment, drug trends, mental health support, and more. Together, we’re creating safer schools and stronger communities.
Years of organizing conferences
Participants
States represented
Message from Dave Long, Ph.D.
We are proud to unite educators, law enforcement officers, SROs, safety directors, parents, and mental health professionals who share a commitment to building safer and more supportive schools.
Dave Long, Ph.D.
Founder
Dave Long, Ph.D.
Dr. Long’s commitment to student safety and empowerment has grown over decades of service in education. He spent 21 years as a high school teacher and track/cross country coach — roles that allowed him to focus not just on academics and athletics, but on helping young people develop critical thinking skills, confidence, and self-respect.
In 2009, he launched the first Safe Schools Conference with just 91 attendees and a box lunch. As the need for school safety knowledge expanded, so did the conference. By 2024, there were over 650 participants from 19 states. That growth is a reflection of his lifelong dedication to supporting youth — not only in classrooms and on the field, but also through leadership roles that allowed him to serve larger student communities.
Throughout his career, Dave has had the privilege of serving in the following roles:
– High School Teacher & Coach (21 years, IA)
– School Principal (IA)
– District Superintendent (Banning, CA and Lake Elsinore, CA)
– Riverside County Superintendent of Schools (serving 360,000 students, CA)
– Chairman, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Commission (Washington, D.C.)
– California Secretary of Education (appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger)
Dr. Dave Long continues to believe that while the full impact of our work may never be fully measurable, sharing safety knowledge and building strong networks through this conference can — and does — save young lives.
Dave is deeply grateful to each of you for your dedication and for choosing to attend the National Safe Schools Conference. Your presence, passion, and willingness to take action give this work its power and purpose. Together, we are creating safer, more supportive environments for every student.
Why this conference matters
For 16 years, this conference has brought together people who care deeply about safe and supportive schools. It’s more than an event; it’s a community committed to protecting and empowering every student.
Angelica Long
Partner & Director of Operations