The whole child approach to education recognizes that teaching is most effective when schools encourage students’ academic growth, as well as their cognitive, social and emotional, physical, and mental development. It encourages equipping children with all of the education and life skills they need to reach their full potential. This holistic approach to education provides a good model for how districts might more effectively plan and implement security solutions for their schools.
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) 2024 School Survey on Crime and Safety indicates that the vast majority of U.S. public K-12 schools, both public and charter schools, have taken steps to enhance physical security in their buildings. Yet the implementation of these security measures is often done piecemeal as funding allows, rather than as part of a broader security strategy.
School administrators might therefore be surprised to learn that a holistic approach to school security technology can be more cost-effective – and far more beneficial for student and staff safety.
Gaps in School Security Technology Implementation
As the NCES report indicates, many public K-12 schools have implemented security systems. Strategies most commonly adopted include access control strategies such as locked or monitored doors and loading docks (97%) or requiring faculty or staff to wear a badge or picture ID (71%). More than three-quarters (76%) of schools surveyed had classrooms equipped with locks so that doors can be locked from inside. The majority (92%) reported using security cameras to monitor the school.
Yet, there remains ample evidence that simply installing a new school security technology system is not always effective. Metal detectors have been proven ineffective against weapons, as students tend to find other ways to bring weapons into school buildings, such as through windows. School districts embracing more advanced weapons detection systems are finding the systems aren’t always attuned to identify knives, which are more prevalent at many schools than firearms. All told, 67% of public schools still recorded at least one violent incident during the 2021-2022 school year, according to NCES.
The reason for this disconnect can be found in two gaps in how school districts approach security technology:
- Technology is expected to solve behavior-based risks.
- Technology is installed one system at a time, without integration into related systems.
Technology Should Not Stand Alone
Implementing technology, without changing behavior, can render tech solutions ineffective.
For example, a school district that had doubled its security budget and installed motion detectors and alarm systems across its campuses was still the site of one of the deadliest school shootings in recent history. A catalyst for this tragedy was a back door that did not automatically lock after being closed, allowing access into the school.
The discrepancy between installing security technology and effective security strategy was demonstrated by an elementary school that installed a weapons detection system following a shooting by a 6-year-old. The student’s teacher had reportedly warned administrators multiple times that the student was armed but administrators allegedly failed to act. Without clear policy for what to do when a weapon is found, technology will not keep students and staff safe.
Instead, technology should always be implemented as one part of a broader strategy that includes:
- Regularly updated security policies based on tailored threat assessments and responses.
- Frequent review of security systems to ensure sound working order.
- Consistent training on and audits of security practices.
In fact, experienced school security consultants can typically recommend simple solutions for behavioral and procedural changes for enhancing security before considering technology.
Technology Integration is Essential
Security technology can be a costly investment for school districts. These investments are not made lightly. Yet few schools are maximizing these technology investments. To ensure effectiveness, and responsibly use taxpayer funds, school security technology systems must be integrated with related systems.
Many of the plug-and-play security systems available today are compatible with one another. Integrating these systems together can lead to a more robust security approach. For example, school districts are moving away from conventional analog paging systems to IP-based paging systems. These intercom and announcement systems can be integrated with panic and duress functions. Some of these smart systems can be integrated with access control systems to allow teachers to initiate a lockdown in their classrooms from the paging system.
By working with an experienced technology consultant, schools may find they do not need to purchase new systems as they may be able to better utilize existing features. In some cases, systems can share existing sensors or cabling, lowering the overall cost of new security technology.
Better School Security Starts with Smart School Design
These gaps aren’t the fault of school districts doing their best to keep students safe. They’re more of a consequence of the fast pace of change in security solutions for schools. New technology is constantly being introduced to keep buildings and their occupants safe. In adopting the most effective solution available, school districts are likely to work directly with a security system vendor or installer. In either case, these companies typically bring insight into one specific solution. Any recommendations are inevitably based on implementing the systems they know best.
A security consultant, on the other hand, can perform an independent assessment to identify a range of solutions for improving school security, often beginning with operational changes. Any suggestions would be based on an independent audit of the district’s existing security and unique risks. After all, the solutions most effective for a rural school district with a 15-minute response time will likely be very different from what would work in an urban school district that has 2-minute response time.
It may seem more cost-effective to focus on implementing a single solution rather than an overall security approach. The reality, however, is far different. An experienced security consultant can identify opportunities to maximize the use of systems already in place. In addition to advising on high-impact, low-cost options for enhancing school security, a security consultant should also be able to recommend technology systems and integrations that can be implemented over time.
CRUX has a proven track record of helping school districts enhance security through recommendations that meet their needs and budget constraints. We begin by identifying facility or campus weaknesses – a discovery process that many clients find leads to powerful recommendations for improvement. To discover how we can help your district build an effective strategy, schedule a consultation today.