The Safety & Security Technology Summit is returning to FETC 2026, slated for Jan. 11 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.
Building on the success of the inaugural 2025 event—which drew more than 150 education leaders—the 2026 Summit promises to take the conversation deeper. This year’s program is designed to address the most pressing safety and security challenges schools face nationwide, while showcasing innovations in AI, surveillance and cyber-hardening.
With growing interest, the FETC Exhibit Hall will feature a Safety & Security Expo Pavilion that has doubled in size from last year. Attendees can extend their Summit experience through Expo briefings with subject matter experts and interactive, hands-on technology demonstrations.
I recently spoke with Randall Dennis, FETC’s Security Technology Advisor, who is curating the safety summit content and serving as emcee. He is a security advisor, author and advocate at www.safeandsecure.io.
Jennifer: You’ve done significant research into school security pain points, and that’s the theme of this year’s summit. You’ve also brought in leading national experts again.
Randall: Absolutely. Our mission is to provide the most relevant information and showcase the latest innovations to empower superintendents, IT leaders and security directors.
Many security directors are highly skilled in policies and procedures, but they’re eager for a more strategic understanding of how technology—and especially AI—can augment and support the work of school resource officers.
Jennifer: Beyond next-gen innovations, what issues will this year’s summit address?
Randall: One of our highlights will be a session on real-time surveillance solutions. But we’re also introducing a new format: breakout tables, each hosted by a subject matter expert, tackling what I call “The Malevolent Seven”—the seven most common and persistent security challenges:
- Unauthorized access and trespassing
- Violence between students
- Bullying and harassment in low-visibility areas
- Vandalism and property damage
- Theft (internal and external)
- Emergency evacuation, communication, and reunification failures
- Cyber-physical attacks on security systems
Attendees can join the table that best represents their biggest challenge. If time runs short, we offer two follow-up opportunities: first, our closing “Stump the Subject Matter Expert” session—an open forum for tough, unresolved problems.
Jennifer: And the other opportunity would be the Safety & Security Expo?
Randall: Exactly. The Expo Pavilion will be twice as large this year, with more exhibitors and more subject matter experts ready to brainstorm through real-world challenges. Attendees can see live demos of new AI-powered solutions and have meaningful conversations with experts who are shaping the future of school security.
Jennifer: So, this year’s summit is ultimately about problem-solving.
Randall: That’s right. Bring us your challenges, your pain points, your headaches—this summit is about tackling them together. The experts at FETC 2026 are among the best in the country.
Last year was about laying a foundation—a ground floor for building a community of leaders committed to protecting students and staff. This year, we’re advancing that work.
Yes, there’s uncertainty, but the pace of innovation is on our side, and many of these technologies are more affordable than people realize.
Jennifer: That’s encouraging. Schools need every tool they can get to support SROs and keep campuses safe.
Randall: We’ve also added a session focused on protecting and managing security technologies on school networks. Cyber-hardening is essential to ensure that physical security tech doesn’t become a vulnerability itself.
What excites me most is seeing competitors—vendors who usually fight for market share—locking arms for a common mission: keeping our schools safe. They’re not here to sell; they’re here to inform, equip, and support.
Jennifer: It sounds like this content has been designed around real-world needs.
Randall: That’s exactly our goal.
