While having lunch with a local school superintendent today, I asked him about what projects the district is working on this summer. After going over a few things he hit on some of the security projects they are doing- including their attorneys doing a full review of all their policies. It struck me that July is the ideal time for education administrators to conduct a comprehensive internal security audit before students return.
Schools and Universities should begin by testing, inspecting, and training staff required to operate all their physical security systems, including access control, visitor management, surveillance cameras, locks, alarms, and communication systems. Identifying maintenance and training issues during July allows time for repairs and training to occur before the first day of school.
Staff training on Emergency Operations Plans and Continuity of Operations Plans are another essential priority. Faculty, administrators, support staff, and substitutes should receive refresher training on emergency procedures, threat reporting, notification centers, de-escalation techniques, and incident command protocols.
Education leaders should spend some time strengthening coordination with local first responders. Meeting with law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, and emergency management partners helps ensure everyone understands facility layouts, response procedures, and communication expectations during an emergency. Doing it now allows everyone to walk buildings, ask questions, and test system and plans.
Cybersecurity preparedness must not be overlooked. July is an excellent time to review user access permissions, update software, conduct phishing awareness training, verify backup systems, and evaluate incident response plans to reduce the risk of ransomware and data breaches during the school year.
Universities and schools should also review behavioral threat assessment and student support processes. Teams should verify reporting mechanisms are up-to-date, welcome new members, and ensure that everyone is in place and trained so they can operate efficiently on opening day.
Finally, Administrators should communicate security expectations with families and students before the school year begins. Sharing information about visitor procedures, emergency communications, mental health resources, reporting concerns, transportation safety, and notification centers helps build a culture of preparedness and partnership across the education community.
July is one of the few times during the year when schools and universities have the bandwidth to step back, take a hard look at their security posture, and make meaningful improvements before students arrive. The administrations that invest this time wisely—reviewing policies, testing systems, training personnel, strengthening partnerships, and validating their plans—start the school year in a far better position to manage risk and respond effectively when challenges arise. Security is not a product, program, or annual checklist; it is a continuous process of assessment, preparation, and improvement. The work done during the summer may never be visible to students or parents, but it often makes all the difference when it matters most. Now is the time to identify gaps, correct deficiencies, and ensure that when the doors open on day one, the administration is prepared to provide a welcome, safe, secure, and resilient learning environment for everyone.