From Campus Resilience & Security
Despite ongoing investments in school safety, many K-12 campuses continue to face major operational and security gaps, according to a new report from Singlewire Software. The survey of more than 500 school staff members found that staffing shortages are now the top safety challenge for schools, and that 38% of teachers lack access to emergency panic buttons. The findings also revealed ongoing concerns about unsecured entrances, limited visibility into student movement, and vulnerabilities in outdoor areas such as parking lots — highlighting the growing pressure on school leaders to strengthen campus-wide safety and emergency response capabilities.
The “2026 State of Safety & Operational Readiness in K-12 Schools” report follows up on the company’s inaugural 2025 School Entrance study (see below).
“Prioritizing school safety means recognizing that security vulnerabilities aren’t limited to the front door—they are rooted in operational gaps across the entire campus,” said Terry Swanson, president and CEO of Singlewire Software. “With staff shortages rising and critical disparities emerging, reactive measures are no longer sufficient. Schools have the opportunity to empower every staff member, streamline daily accountability processes, and ensure that real-time help is accessible wherever and whenever an emergency arises.”