Devastating school shootings have spawned a cottage industry of untested responses to school violence. Some involve target hardening, or making schools less vulnerable to violent attacks. School administrators and community members can be quick to gravitate towards target hardening measures for preventing school violence. However, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is more consistent with best practices in school safety and may be linked to more positive student perceptions of school climate. The CPTED principle of natural surveillance implies that individuals will be less likely to commit crimes, infractions, and offenses if their behavior can be observed and reported. This involves having an open campus layout that provides clear sight lines to continually monitor shared spaces such as courtyards, playgrounds, cafeterias, and libraries. Based on the available research, CPTED school-based designs may offer some benefits without drawbacks. School psychologists can be involved in discussions about school design in multiple ways CPTED is an alternative approach to school safety that may evenly balance the need for physical safety with psychological comfort. Although school psychologists do not draft blueprints for school design, they can work with administrators, community stakeholders, and policy makers to advocate for ground-up strategies for healthy schools - not fortresses.