Video Surveillance, School Safety Technology, and More: September 2026 Roundup
Catch up on the latest School Security Leadership articles, resources, research, practitioner insights, and updates from September.
Editor's Note
Some of the most important school safety questions don't start with a new law, product, or headline. They start with practitioners comparing notes about what they're seeing in their own schools.
That was especially true in September. Conversations among NCSSD members helped shape our coverage of classroom glass, locked classroom doors, video surveillance, viral social media trends, and other issues school safety leaders are navigating right now.
Throughout this month's roundup, you'll find those practitioner perspectives alongside new research, resources, and reporting from School Security Leadership.
Thanks for reading,
Amy Rock
Editor-in-Chief, School Security Leadership
Featured Coverage
A Classroom Glass Question Sparks a Larger Debate About School Safety Priorities
An NCSSD discussion about classroom glass and lockdown concealment evolved into a larger debate over how schools should balance prevention, physical security, and competing safety priorities when resources are limited.
⭐ Editor's Picks
Four standout stories from the past month
Should Schools Allow Third Parties to Install Surveillance Cameras on Campus?
When an outside organization wants to install cameras on school property, questions about access, privacy, data ownership, cybersecurity, and oversight can quickly follow. We examine what schools should consider before approving an arrangement, with a new review checklist available to subscribers.
Locked Classroom Doors: What the Research Says and How Schools Can Improve Staff Buy-In
School safety leaders share strategies for keeping classroom doors secure and addressing everyday practices that can complicate classroom door security.
‘Cat in the Hat’ TikTok Trend: How School Safety Leaders Are Responding
A viral social media trend involving students dressing as the Cat in the Hat created unexpected safety concerns for schools. NCSSD members shared how their districts responded and what they learned as the trend spread.
How Orange County Public Schools Turned an Old School Bus Into a Reunification Resource
Orange County Public Schools repurposed a surplus school bus to keep reunification supplies organized and ready to deploy during an emergency.
📊 Research & Data
New research and data released in September offer insight into student safety, well-being, school policies, and emerging issues affecting K-12 schools.
- Nearly 1 in 4 Teachers Have Considered Leaving the Profession Over Safety Concerns
- New Data Shows How K-12 Schools Use Critical Communication Systems
- California Mandated Later Start Times Improved Sleep, Test Scores
📹 Video Surveillance
New reporting and resources examine how schools are using surveillance technology and navigating questions around privacy, access, data use, governance, and oversight.
- How Video Surveillance Is Evolving in K-12 Schools
- School Security Cameras Raise New Questions About Privacy, Access, and Use
- Topic Hub: Video Surveillance in Schools
💻 Technology & Security
September's coverage also looked at emerging school safety technologies, how schools are implementing them, and the policy and governance questions that can follow.
- Flock Cameras in K-12 Schools: Which Districts Are Reconsidering Them and Why?
- Topic Hub: AI in School Safety
- How Edgewood High School Integrated Wearable Alert Badges Into Its Emergency Response Plan
- Emerging Technologies in School Safety: Privacy, Compliance, and Governance Considerations
💬 Perspectives
Contributed perspectives offer additional insight into school design, emergency preparedness, and approaches to strengthening school safety.
- Plans Inform, People Perform: A Practical Approach to School Emergency Readiness
- Designing Secure Schools Without Sacrificing the Student Experience
- School Key Boxes: Balancing Security and Emergency Responder Access
📰 Latest News Brief
Catch up on the latest school safety headlines, research, and developments from the second half of September.
💡 Want to Join the Conversation?
School Security Leadership keeps you informed. NCSSD connects you with school safety and security professionals across the country.
Through the NCSSD Scholarship Program, your first year of NCSSD membership is free, including access to the Foundations of School Security Leadership (FoSSL) course, the NCSSD community, monthly members-only roundtables, discussion boards, and other member resources.
Join NCSSD Through the Scholarship Program →
Get Involved with School Security Leadership
Have a story idea, research study, case study, practitioner insight, or resource to share with School Security Leadership? Contact Editor-in-Chief Amy Rock or submit a topic proposal.
Interested in partnering with the National Council of School Safety Directors? Contact Dennis Russo to learn more about sponsorship, advertising, and partnership opportunities.