Genetec’s 2026 State of Physical Security Report found that K-12 schools and higher education institutions are prioritizing improved situational awareness, faster incident response and unified security systems as they contend with ongoing budget constraints.

The education-specific findings, released Aug. 6, are based on responses from North American K-12 and higher education professionals. The results show that schools are relying on physical security data for a range of campus safety functions, including incident response, access management, investigations and emergency preparedness.

Incident response leads security data use

Monitoring and responding to incidents across campus was the most commonly cited use of physical security data, according to Genetec. Among higher education respondents, 86% said they use security data for that purpose, compared with 79% of K-12 respondents.

Access management was another prominent use. Nearly 80% of higher education respondents and 77% of K-12 respondents said they rely on security systems to manage and audit building access for students, staff and visitors.

Security data also plays a role in investigating conduct issues. Genetec found that 76% of higher education respondents and 80% of K-12 professionals use the data to investigate issues involving students or staff.

Emergency preparedness remains another area where institutions are putting security data to work. Fifty-four percent of higher education respondents and 59% of K-12 respondents said physical security data supports emergency response planning and drills.

The findings indicate that schools are looking to video surveillance, access control and other security data to improve their understanding of incidents and coordinate responses across classrooms, buildings and campus grounds.

Budgets remain the biggest obstacle

While schools are relying heavily on security technology, funding remains a significant challenge.

Budget limitations and funding constraints ranked as the top challenge facing education organizations, cited by 72% of higher education respondents and 74% of K-12 respondents.

Against that backdrop, schools are emphasizing visibility and situational awareness when making the case for security spending.

Improved visibility and situational awareness across campus was the most frequently cited metric used to justify physical security investments, selected by 77% of higher education respondents and 64% of K-12 respondents.

Compliance requirements are also influencing investment decisions, particularly among K-12 institutions. Sixty-two percent of K-12 respondents said compliance with district, state or federal 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.”