K-12 school security and safety are growing concerns nationwide as facilities teams and administrators face increasing pressure to protect students, staff and visitors while maintaining smooth daily operations.
The 2026 Safety and Operational Readiness Report from Singlewire Software highlights the number of campuses still working to close gaps in preparedness, access control and emergency response. The survey included 511 K-12 school staff members from across the country, including administrators, facilities personnel, IT staff and security teams.
Eighty-six percent of respondents say securing the front entrance is a high or top priority of their school safety strategies, yet only 16 percent believe their schools’ entrances are completely secure. Staffing shortages were identified as the most common challenge by 46 percent of respondents, up from 30 percent in the previous year. Additional concerns include 32 percent citing the inability to restrict access to one entry point, 31 percent citing a lack of understanding of check-in procedures among the school community and 30 percent citing the absence of guest identity verification methods.
The survey also found that security concerns extend beyond building entrances. More than one-half of respondents identified outdoor spaces and parking lots as the least secure areas on campuses, indicating that many schools view perimeter and exterior security as ongoing challenges.
Emergency response readiness remains another area of concern. Only one in five staff members reported being extremely confident that help would arrive quickly when assistance is requested, and many schools still depend on basic communication tools that might slow response times during urgent situations. Walkie-talkies and phone calls remain the primary methods for requesting help. Nearly one-quarter of respondents reported having no panic buttons available.
Student accountability during the day presents additional operational challenges. Nearly 75 percent of schools continue to use analog hall pass procedures. Only 11 percent of respondents said they are extremely confident administrators can quickly determine a student’s location when the student is out of class. 19 percent reported that students are not consistently tracked when excused from class, while another 19 percent said tracking only occurs at the classroom level.
The report also highlights inefficiencies related to student dismissals. Only 14 percent of schools use a digital system to coordinate student releases and verify pickups. Sixty-three percent of respondents said dismissal-related issues requiring staff intervention occur at least monthly, while many schools continue to rely on verbal, visual and paper-based verification methods.
Elaina Myers is the assistant editor of the facilities market. She has covered various topics from pest management to resilience to sustainability and is the beat writer for special days. She also runs the FacilitiesNet social media accounts.
