CENTEGIX®, the industry leader and most widely adopted wearable safety technology provider for K–12 education, recently released its 2026 School Safety Trends Report, the only comprehensive and data-rich analysis of school safety available in the wearable panic button market.
The report identifies and outlines the top technology and legislative movements relevant to school safety in the U.S. and draws on data collected in the 2025/2026 school year through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform®, including more than 346,000 alerts from wearable panic buttons. In addition to overall data trends, the report includes case studies, examining how individual school districts are enhancing safety.
CENTEGIX solutions are used in more than 18,000 locations nationwide, including 32 of the 100 largest U.S. school districts. The flagship of the CENTEGIX Safety Platform is CrisisAlert™, a wearable panic button solution with dynamic incident mapping.
The trends shaping school safety in 2026 point to a clear conclusion: reducing uncertainty and improving clarity can dramatically improve response times, coordination, and outcomes when time matters most.
Key 2026 Report Findings
1. Panic Buttons Are Protecting People Every Day, In a Variety of Emergencies
Modern school safety is about more than responding to school-wide threats and lockdowns. This year, use of CENTEGIX panic buttons for alerts increased by 31% compared to last school year. Of these alerts, 88% were for behaviour such as physical altercations, students leaving campus without notice or permission—known as elopements—and other incidents where an educator might need additional support to address a situation. An additional 10% were for medical emergencies such as seizures, cardiac arrests, or allergic reactions.
2. Campus-Wide Coverage Is Critical
The report found that 58% of incidents occurred outside the classroom in spaces like hallways (17%), exterior areas (10%), and cafeterias (3%)—highlighting the importance of precise location information in reducing response times.
3. In Extreme Emergencies, Technology and Training Are Helping to Protect Schools
While only 1% of alerts were for extreme threats requiring school-wide lockdowns, technology and training are making a difference in these incidents. For example, in September 2025, during dismissal at S.L. Mason Elementary School in Valdosta, GA, an armed individual began shooting just outside the school’s parent and visitor entrance. Within 37 seconds the school was put in lockdown by an administrator who was outside at the bus loading area and used their CrisisAlert badge. No one was injured, and the threat was contained.
4. Data Is Strengthening Preparedness
Schools cannot improve what they cannot see. As districts strengthen emergency preparedness strategies, many are turning to safety data and real-time visibility to make more informed decisions across campuses. Data informs resource allocation and coordination with responders, and also provides real-time insight.
5. A Nationwide Push for Safer Schools Is Raising Expectations
Legislation continues to shape school safety requirements. Expectations for faster emergency notification and coordinated response capabilities are rising through the expansion of Alyssa’s Law legislation. School mapping legislation also continues to grow, driving greater emphasis on precise location data and situational awareness during emergencies.
6. Safer School Environments Are Supporting Overall District Success
Prioritizing safety is supporting districts in addressing issues like teacher retention, absenteeism, and academic performance. In a survey, 94% of school staff said having a wearable panic button makes them feel safer. Limestone Community High School District, which is included in the report, saw its dropout rate decrease by 4%, its chronic absenteeism rate drop by 11%, and its incidents of physical violence decrease from 83 incidents to 12 after focusing on school safety and culture.
“Nationally, K–12 districts are enhancing safety through comprehensive, proactive approaches,” said Brent Cobb, CEO of CENTEGIX. “Keeping students and school staff safe is a daily responsibility. School safety includes layered approaches that consider both the everyday and the extreme. We’re seeing districts use technology to improve daily workplace safety, with campus-wide coverage for a variety of situations.”
With CENTEGIX, K–12 teachers and staff are empowered to respond to any incident, anywhere on campus. To learn more about 2026 School Safety Trends: Clarity in Crisis: Replacing Chaos with Coordinated Response, download the full report here.
About CENTEGIX
CENTEGIX is the industry leader in innovative safety solutions for all types of workplaces. The cloud-based CENTEGIX Safety Platform® is the centre for layered safety plans and initiates the fastest response time for emergencies, from the everyday to the extreme, anywhere on campus. Leaders nationwide trust CENTEGIX’s innovative safety solutions to empower and protect people every day.
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