In this featured piece by Campus Resilience & Security, the outlet reports on new research from Singlewire Software finding that many K-12 campuses continue to face operational and security gaps despite ongoing safety investments. The “2026 State of Safety & Operational Readiness in K-12 Schools” report, a follow-up to Singlewire’s inaugural 2025 School Entrance study, surveyed more than 500 school staff members and found staffing shortages have become the top safety challenge nationwide. Terry Swanson, president and CEO of Singlewire Software, said security vulnerabilities aren’t limited to the front door but are rooted in operational gaps across the entire campus. The coverage details specific concerns around unsecured entrances, limited visibility into student movement, and vulnerabilities in outdoor areas such as parking lots.
Key Takeaways
- “Lack of staff” jumped from 30% of respondents in 2025 to 46% in 2026, making it the top-cited security challenge for schools.
- Thirty-eight percent of teachers have no panic button at all, and only 10% have access to a wearable solution.
- While 79% of security staff believe school entrances are secure, only 55% of teachers agree, reflecting a sharp perception gap between roles.
- More than 50% of respondents identify parking lots and outdoor areas as their school’s most vulnerable zones.
- Sixty-three percent of respondents experience dismissal-related issues requiring staff intervention at least monthly, and nearly 75% of schools still rely on analog methods to excuse students from class.
Original Story
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.”