Staffing Continues to Complicate K-12 Entrance Security

While 86 percent of U.S. K-12 school staff say securing the school building’s front entrance is a top or high priority, 36 percent said their entrances are only somewhat, minimally, or not at all secure, according to a 2026 survey by Singlewire Software, Safety and Operational Readiness Report for K-12 Schools.

The survey of 500 school faculty, staff, and administrators found the most cited reason for insecure entrances is a lack of staff—46 percent, compared to 30 percent in the 2025 version of the survey. Other reasons included an inability to restrict access to a single point of entry (32 percent), a school community not understanding check-in procedures (31 percent), and having no method in place to verify guest identities (30 percent).

Teachers were less likely to rate school entrances as completely or very secure (55 percent) versus security staff (79 percent) and administrators or facilities personnel (64 percent).

Most schools (71 percent) require guests to present IDs when they enter the building, and 79 percent require visitors to wear a badge during their visit. But for 33 percent of schools, an ID check at the front desk is the only method they use for visitor check-ins. Thirty percent of schools said they require guests to be buzzed in through a vestibule, 19 percent use a digital visitor management system, and 17 percent rely on a pen-and-paper sign-in sheet.

“While school safety initiatives often focus on how to protect the students and staff within a building, there is a strong desire to ensure the entire property is safe, not just a building,” the survey report said. More than 50 percent of respondents said outdoor areas and parking lots were the least secure areas of the school.

Dismissal periods are primed for improvement, the report said. Only 14 percent of schools leverage a digital solution to help coordinate student release and verify they are being picked up by the right parent or guardian. Instead, most schools rely on bell schedules or manual processes. As a result, 63 percent of respondents said they experience dismissal-related issues that require staff intervention (student confusion, incorrect pickup, missing information) at least monthly. More than 25 percent said dismissal issues require staff intervention multiple times a week, if not multiple times per dismissal.

“The struggle can partially be attributed to the lack of formal verification processes in place, with staff relying on verbal (21 percent) or visual (20 percent) verification or analog methods like printed lists or spreadsheets (18 percent),” the report said.

For more about school security processes, explore the ASIS International School Security Standard. It is available to ASIS members for free as an eBook.