In this featured piece by FacilitiesNet, the publication examines the 2026 Safety and Operational Readiness Report from Singlewire Software, a national survey of 511 K-12 school staff, including administrators, facilities personnel, IT staff, and security teams. The article maps where campuses still fall short on entrance security, emergency response, student accountability, and dismissal — and why so many schools still rely on tools that slow them down when help is needed. It’s a clear, data-backed look at the gaps facilities teams and administrators are working to close, and a useful benchmark for any school leader measuring their own readiness.
Key Takeaways
- Entrance security is a top priority and a persistent gap: 86% of school staff call securing the front entrance a high or top priority, yet only 16% believe their entrances are completely secure.
- Staffing shortages are the fastest-growing challenge, named by 46% of respondents — up from 30% the year before.
- Emergency response still leans on basic tools: walkie-talkies and phone calls remain the primary way staff request help, and nearly one-quarter of schools have no panic buttons at all.
- Student accountability runs largely on paper: nearly 75% of schools still use analog hall passes, and only 11% are extremely confident they can quickly locate a student who is out of class.
- Dismissal is a recurring strain: only 14% of schools use a digital system to coordinate releases and verify pickups, while 63% report dismissal issues needing staff intervention at least monthly.
Original Article
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.