Florida school districts focus on security upgrades ahead of new school year

25 WPBF News | By: Nathalie Pozo | August 3, 2026

Fla. — The Palm Beach County School District has focused on upgrading security systems, including cameras, over the summer to improve safety measures for the upcoming school year. Police Chief Sarah Mooney also addressed swatting calls that caused school lockdowns last year, urging parents to avoid rushing to campuses during emergencies.

“That’s our job is to make sure that we’re going to protect them,” Mooney said. “We have crisis response plans on every single campus. If you give us the time to put those into play, it’s going to be much more efficient.”

Mooney emphasized the importance of parents keeping their contact information up to date to ensure effective communication during emergencies.

In Martin County, the district has prioritized adding another layer of protection at school entrances and monitoring social media for potential threats.

“If we see anything, work with the sheriff’s department to make sure,” the Martin County superintendent said.

Indian River County is expanding its existing safety measures, including the use of metal detectors and emergency badges for staff to press in case of emergencies.

“We put it in place. Our teachers’ feedback is just another layer of comfort so they can focus on the job at hand, which is teaching our students,” the Indian River County superintendent said.

In St. Lucie County, the superintendent highlighted the district’s extensive security protocols, many of which are not visible to parents.

“We have a tremendous amount of safety protocols that parents don’t even see and that we don’t talk about. But the bottom line is their kids are safe here in our schools,” the St. Lucie County superintendent said.