Genetec Inc. has unveiled education-focused insights from its 2026 State of Physical Security Report, revealing a strong emphasis on enhancing situational awareness, expediting incident response, and integrating security systems within educational institutions. This report, drawing from North American K-12 and higher education professionals, highlights the increasing importance of campus safety measures.
The data indicates that the primary use of physical security data in education is for monitoring and responding to campus incidents. An overwhelming majority of respondents—86% in higher education and 79% in K-12—cite this as the predominant application. Additionally, close to 80% of higher education respondents and 77% of their K-12 counterparts depend on security systems for overseeing and auditing building access for various campus occupants.
Streamlined incident response
Security data is also crucial for investigating conduct issues, used by 76% of higher education and 80% of K-12 professionals. Emphasizing the need for emergency preparedness, 54% of higher education and 59% of K-12 respondents utilize physical security data for planning and conducting emergency drills.
These activities underscore the necessity for real-time visibility and a coordinated approach to critical situations, suggesting a move toward more unified security operations to support rapid understanding and action across campus facilities.
Investing in physical security amid budget constraints
Security data is also crucial for investigating conduct issues, used by 76% of higher education
Despite the increased dependency on security technologies, educational institutions face financial challenges, with budget limitations cited as a significant concern by 72% of higher education and 74% of K-12 respondents. Investments in security are primarily justified by the need for enhanced campus visibility and situational awareness, with this metric highlighted by 77% of higher education and 64% of K-12 respondents.
Compliance with safety regulations is another key driver, especially in K-12 education, where 62% of respondents identified regulatory compliance as a main reason for security investment.
Stephen Homrighaus, Vertical Sales Director, Education at Genetec Inc., stated, "Education institutions are under pressure to strengthen campus safety while managing limited budgets. By unifying video, access control, and other security data into a single platform, schools can improve visibility, respond more quickly to incidents, and meet compliance requirements, all while making the most of their existing investments."
