Teachers and students feel safest when they know their school entrances are secure. Yet, only 17% of school employees say their schools prioritize safety starting at the front door.
Only 17% of school staff members feel their entrances are “completely secure,” citing several issues keeping administrators from maintaining a secure entrance, including:
- Guests not following check-in procedures (31%)
- Lack of staff (30%)
- No way to verify guest identities (24%)
That’s according to a new report from Singlewire Software, a mass notification and visitor management provider. The research highlights the top concerns and challenges schools are experiencing in securing their entrances to deter potential threats from entering their buildings.
“School safety starts at the front door,” said Terry Swanson, president and CEO of Singlewire Software.
Upon surveying hundreds of school staff members nationwide, the researchers uncovered five key findings that may provide administrators a better understanding of how to improve front door security.
1. Most schools are monitoring their entrances 24/7
59% of school staff members said their school entrances are always supervised and monitored, and 32% said entrances are monitored daily when school is in session.
2. School staff are satisfied with the effectiveness of security protocols
32% of respondents rated their current security protocols as “excellent,” while 50% rated them as “good.”
3. Schools rely on video surveillance
89% of schools have video surveillance in place, and 43% are planning to purchase or upgrade video surveillance in the next two years.
4. School staff overwhelmingly know what to do when issues arise
In the case of an emergency, 89% of school staff members said they know how to respond.
5. Communication tools play a crucial role in security
Only 1% of respondents said their schools lack an established communication system.
Read the full report here.
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