How Many K-12 Schools Have Security Cameras, Controlled Access?

With K-12 schools investing in safety and security at unprecedented levels, one commonly asked question is, “What security measures are most commonly being adopted and at what rate?”

The most recent Indicators of School Crime and Safety report, released by the National Center for Education Statistics in April 2019, collected data from the 2015-2016 school year regarding several aspects of school safety and security, including school violence, bullying, discipline, and drug and alcohol use, among other things.

The goal of the report is to establish reliable indicators of the current state of school crime and safety across the U.S. It provides the most recent data drawn from several sources, including surveys of students, teachers and administrators.

One of its 22 indicators, which is of significant interest to many of our readers, is safety and security measures being adopted by public schools. In the report, this particular indicator compares eight safety and security measures by school level and school year, including:

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1. Controlling access to buildings during school hours
2. Security cameras used to monitor the school
3. Requiring faculty and staff to wear badges or picture IDs
4. Enforcing a strict dress code
5. Random dog sniffs to check for drugs
6. Requiring students to wear uniforms
7. Requiring students to wear badges or picture IDs
8. Random metal detector checks

View this article’s slideshow for a more detailed breakdown

The report also breaks down the percentage of public schools that have a written plan for specific emergency procedures.

In comparing the 1999-2000 school year to the 2015-2016 school year, the report found:

• A 315% increase in K-12 public schools with security cameras, which greatly aligns with the recent findings of our 2019 Video Surveillance Survey
• A 167% increase in K-12 public schools that require staff to wear ID badges
• A 37.5% decrease in random metal detector checks at K-12 schools

Additionally, the report breaks down school safety from a student perspective, including the percentage of students ages 12-18 who reported seeing various safety and security measures being implemented at their school.

For more comparisons and detailed data for this particular indicator, check out this article’s slideshow.

You can also download the full report here.