U.S. policymakers, educators and advocates have identified a need to increase school safety following several high-profile incidents of school violence. Some of the proposed solutions are not supported by evidence of their effectiveness. In the 2018-2019 budget process, both the Colorado State House and Senate amended the budget to address school safety with an additional $35 million in one-time funding. The Colorado Children's Campaign compiled research on effective ways to create safer school environments. Findings show that school violence prevention strategies that have been shown to mitigate violence risk factors and/or strengthen protective factors among students require long-term investments. These prevention strategies focus on: (1) In-school mental health services and behavioral interventions; (2) Positive school climate; (3) Positive behavior supports; and (4) Threat assessment processes.