Many of the threats to school districts are events that can happen every day. Bullying, theft, vandalism, harassment and even liability can pose significant challenges for school administrators who want to help keep students and staff members safe. Technology can play a major role in addressing these threats and making campuses safer, but it is important to consider that the effectiveness of virtually any safety technology is reliant upon human factors.
Surveillance
From DA
Districts address security in wake of school shootings
December, 2015
Mass shootings in the United States have tripled since 2011, according to Harvard University researchers. And as of late October, 29 shootings took place in K12 schools this year.
Since 2013, 156 shootings had rattled nerves, and had injured or killed students and staff members in both K12 schools and colleges, according to the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. In some cases, a gun was fired but no one was injured, the group reports.
School safety solutions advance
October, 2015
School administrators across the country are turning to portable panic buttons, cloud-based crisis management systems and other technology in the search for new ways to keep students and staff safe. The price tag can run from a few thousand dollars to well into six figures, but administrators say the cost is worth it.
Police presence powers up in schools
November, 2014
Districts working to prevent mass shootings and other violent campus attacks are hiring more school resource officers to patrol their buildings, particularly at the elementary level. These SROs, elevated from a more passive role, are now an integral part of school safety planning.