Third-Party Video Surveillance Review Checklist for Schools
A practical checklist to help K-12 school leaders evaluate privacy, access, data ownership, cybersecurity, and other considerations before approving third-party surveillance cameras on school property.
Third-party surveillance arrangements can raise questions that go beyond where cameras will be placed and what they will capture. Schools may also need to consider who owns and controls the system, who can access live or recorded footage, whether audio or advanced surveillance capabilities are enabled, how recordings are stored and protected, and what happens to school data and equipment when an agreement ends.
Use this downloadable checklist to help identify privacy, security, access, data, and operational considerations when an outside organization wants to install or operate cameras on school property.
What's Included
The checklist includes questions covering:
- Purpose and scope of the proposed surveillance
- Camera placement and areas that may be captured
- Students, employees, parents, visitors, contractors, and others who could be recorded
- Privacy requirements and district policies
- Audio recording capabilities
- Facial recognition, biometric identification, and automated tracking
- Ownership and control of cameras and recordings
- Access to live and recorded footage
- Data storage, retention, sharing, and deletion
- Cybersecurity and vendor access
- Incident response and breach notification
- Contract terms and responsibilities
- What happens to equipment and data when the agreement ends
The checklist is intended as a starting point for internal review and should be adapted to reflect applicable laws, district policies, contractual requirements, and the specific circumstances of the proposed arrangement.
The final page includes an editable notes section for documenting questions, follow-up items, and other considerations that arise during the review process.
Developed Through an NCSSD Practitioner Discussion
This checklist grew out of a National Council of School Safety Directors (NCSSD) member discussion after a school safety leader asked colleagues for input on a request from an outside organization to install cameras on school property.
Members raised questions about privacy, access to footage, audio recording, data ownership, cybersecurity, system capabilities, and other issues schools may want to consider before approving a third-party surveillance arrangement.
The discussion is one example of how NCSSD members use the community to bring real-world questions to their peers, share experiences, and identify considerations that can help inform school safety decisions.
Access the Checklist
This resource is available to NCSSD members and School Security Leadership subscribers.
Sign in to your account or subscribe to School Security Leadership for free to access the download.