School Security Best Practices: A Comprehensive Guide for K–12 IT Leaders

Physical Building Security: Protecting Entry Points and Facilitating Situational Awareness

Security, school administration and IT leaders all agree: Securing physical buildings should be the first priority in school security. Next, cameras add another layer of security to the physical locks. While schools might have cameras running 24/7, no one is monitoring that footage every second of every day, nor would anyone be able to quickly identify an issue from a wall of screens that may span an entire district. 

When Jill Renihan, segment development manager for education at AXIS Communications, was the school safety specialist for her district, one of her first projects was updating the existing camera system. She found a way to cover more ground with less equipment by updating the system to multilens cameras.

The star of the investment, however, was surveillance analyzation technology that reviews the footage in real time, identifies problems and sends notifications as needed. Not only does the software analyze data better and faster than a human could but it also allows schools with lean staffing to provide even more safety with less manpower. “Public education doesn’t have a lot of extra staff, so technology can help bridge that gap,” says Renihan, who spent more than 34 years in public education.

During her tenure in education, there was an incident involving an abandoned backpack. A situation that could have stretched hours or even days and involved dozens of people from the highest levels of public education and local law enforcement was resolved in a matter of minutes thanks to the cameras and the data they captured. 

Historically, cameras were used as resources after the fact. But now, schools can use these devices and the technology that comes with them to prevent crises from occurring, such as triggering a notification tree when someone approaches a door during off hours.

Daniel Loo, a registered school safety and security consultant, advises his schools to communicate the value of these devices to parents, who might be concerned about data storage and the scope of surveillance. It’s also an opportunity to assuage staff concerns about being “watched.”

“Cameras and monitoring tools are there for deterrence, rapid response and post-incident review — not constant behavioral scrutiny,” says Loo. “Parents tend to respond better when the school frames technology as layered risk reduction rather than increased surveillance.”

RELATED: Weapons detection systems use artificial intelligence to analyze threats.

Visitor Management Systems for School Safety

Another top priority for schools should be their visitor management process. A pen sitting next to an unattended paper sign-in sheet is unacceptable. Parents want reassurance that their children are safe and secure when they’re not at home. In an environment where visitors can be substitute teachers, parents assisting in a classroom activity, maintenance staff or vendors restocking a vending machine, for example, a visitor management system can tell administration who is in the building at a particular time. 

Renihan’s district used a system that had a one-day lifespan: Visitors scanned a QR code to sign in, but it would be sunset at the end of the day, an efficient process for staff who travel to multiple buildings throughout the day. These systems can also be used to communicate to this audience in the event of an emergency. 

Emergency Communication Systems and Clear Audio Technology

The third priority for school security should be the overhead communication system. Many public schools operate out of buildings that were constructed decades before, and it can be costly to overhaul their technology, but it’s necessary for the safety of staff and students. 

Renihan advises schools to consider network audio. With traditional analog audio, the quality is poor, and there’s no way to tell if a speaker isn’t working unless the classroom misses the message and hears it from someone else — not the outcome anyone wants in an emergency. However, with network audio, the system conducts routine internal testing and sends an alert when a speaker isn’t functioning properly. 

“Technology for audio is really crucial,” says Renihan. “A priority has got to be the ability to communicate with everybody in an instant so you get the right information to the right people at the right time and it’s clear, audible and easy to understand.”

When revamping the audio system, consider also the size and volume of the speakers around campus, such as what’s needed outside versus in the classroom.

Data Privacy, Network Security and Cybersecurity

Thinking of school security may conjure images of the physical aspects. But as far as Chris Houliaras, assistant director of IT at Vineland Public Schools in New Jersey, is concerned, data and network security should be included.

“Most of the data management systems and our files are connected to the internet, to the rest of the world — which increases your attack surface,” says Houliaras. “It goes beyond somebody gaining access to your file room. Now, an attack could come from anywhere.”

“Technology evolves fast. There’s no checking boxes anymore,” says Paul Farinaccio, director of facilities and director of IT at Vineland.

Farinaccio encourages “planning and purposefulness.” As soon as something is deployed at Vineland, the monitoring and maintenance begin. Houliaras’s team is constantly checking their systems for security updates, changes to terms of service and patches. As everyone in the K–12 setting knows, compliance is a major concern, and it’s a part of the school’s safety. Ensuring the systems that the school uses are compliant requires diligence.

Nestled under this diligence is the well-being of the students at Vineland, a one-to-one district. Vineland uses a filtering solution that not only blocks specific content but also monitors web searches, emails and instant messages. If it spots concerning language or signs, the appropriate people are notified. While this software meets a compliance standard for Vineland, it’s also a “proactive approach to social and emotional well-being,” says Houliaras.

No aspect of school security or emergency preparedness planning is a one-and-done event. From physical access control and surveillance to data privacy and online behavior, keeping students and staff safe at school is a daily team effort.