Genetec, the global leader in enterprise physical security software, today released education-specific findings from its 2026 State of Physical Security Report. Based on responses from North American K-12 and higher education professionals, the data shows schools are prioritizing improved situational awareness, faster incident response, and unified security systems.
Campus safety and visibility remain top use cases for security data
Education institutions are primarily using physical security data to monitor and respond to incidents across campus. Monitoring and responding to incidents on campus was cited by 86% of higher education and 79% of K-12 respondents, making it the most common application overall.
Nearly 80% of higher education and 77% of K-12 respondents said they rely on security systems to manage and audit building access for students, staff, and visitors. In addition, 76% of higher education and 80% of K-12 professionals use security data to investigate student or staff conduct issues.
Emergency preparedness also remains a priority. More than half of higher education respondents (54%) and 59% of K-12 respondents said physical security data supports emergency response planning and drills, reinforcing the need for real-time visibility and coordinated response during critical situations.
Together, these findings point to a need for more unified security operations, where video, access control, and other security data can support faster understanding and response across classrooms, buildings, and campus grounds.
Budget constraints remain the biggest challenge
Despite increased reliance on security technology, budget limitations and funding constraints were identified as the top challenge facing education organizations, cited by 72% of higher education respondents and 74% of K-12 respondents.
Visibility and situational awareness justify security investments
When asked which metrics are used to justify physical security investments, improved visibility and situational awareness across campus ranked highest, cited by 77% of higher education respondents and 64% of K-12 respondents. Compliance with district, state, or federal regulations was also a key driver, particularly in K-12, where 62% said meeting safety mandates is a primary justification for security investments.
“Education institutions are under pressure to strengthen campus safety while managing limited budgets,” said Stephen Homrighaus, Vertical Sales Director, Education at Genetec Inc. “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.”