Survey Finds Schools Prioritizing Vape Detection, AI-Enabled Camera Monitoring
Survey findings suggest schools are increasingly investing in technologies focused on prevention, detection, and situational awareness.
New research suggests schools are increasingly prioritizing technologies designed to help prevent, detect, or interrupt incidents before they escalate.
A recent survey from EdWeek Research Center found the most commonly used technology-enabled security systems in schools include:
- Chemical and acoustic monitoring devices placed in bathrooms and locker rooms (31%)
- AI-enabled security camera monitoring to detect threats or fights (25%)
- Passive screening systems that identify weapons without metal detectors (21%)
- Wearable silent panic alarms for staff (19%)
- Digital/biometric locks that do not require fobs or keys (16%)
The survey, taken by 753 participants from March 25, 2026 through May 5, 2026, included 116 district leaders and 41 school principals.
At the same time, NCSSD members continue to emphasize that technology alone cannot solve school safety challenges.
“The national conversation should not be reduced to one product, one device, or one mandate,” an NCSSD member shared this week. “It should be about making sure hardware, people, procedures, communication, maintenance, prevention, and governance work together before the emergency happens.”
Recent discussions across the NCSSD community have increasingly focused on the difference between “installed” safety and “operational” safety — whether systems actually function the way schools expect them to under real-world conditions.
As schools continue investing in AI-enabled monitoring technologies, many leaders are also discussing practical questions related to implementation, staffing, communications, maintenance, and training.
The growing use of AI-enabled monitoring technologies has also prompted conversations in some districts, including Buckeye Union High School District in Arizona, about communication, transparency, and how schools explain the purpose and use of these systems to students, staff, and families.
Inside the NCSSD Community: Real-World Discussions on School Safety Technology
School safety leaders are actively discussing how security technologies are functioning in real-world school environments, including implementation challenges, funding questions, policy considerations, and lessons learned from daily use.
Recent member discussions have included:
- Widespread frustration with false positives, staffing burdens, and inconsistent performance tied to vaping detection systems
- Grant opportunities and funding strategies for wearable panic buttons and other safety technologies
- First-hand experiences with various weapons detection systems
- Policies governing security camera access, footage requests, and video exports
- The growing role of drones in school safety operations
Members continue to emphasize that technology is most effective when implemented as part of a broader layered approach to school safety that also prioritizes people, policies, communication, training, and operational readiness.
Learn more about the NCSSD community, member discussions, and professional resources at NCSSD.org.