Keeping Pace: How Schools Can Plan And Execute a Pilot Program For a System Migration

Stop the rip-and-replace anxiety with a controlled pilot program that validates tech performance, engages stakeholders and proves ROI.

• By Bruce Canal
• May 15, 2026

Aging buildings and legacy security systems make it difficult for schools to keep pace with evolving risks. Yet even when decision-makers know an upgrade is overdue, concerns about disruption, cost, compatibility, and workload often stall progress.

What if the new system does not perform as expected? How will it integrate with older infrastructure? How much training will staff require?

Eliminate Uncertainties

A well-designed pilot program helps cut these uncertainties. By testing new technologies in a controlled environment, schools can validate assumptions, evaluate migration paths, and uncover practical insights that case studies and vendor demos cannot provide. A pilot becomes your own proof of concept—revealing what hardware can be reused, the amount of training staff needs, and how a phased rollout will affect daily operations.

Here are a few tips and best practices to ensure a smooth deployment of a pilot program.

Engage Stakeholders Early

The larger and more complex the school system or campus, the more important it is to involve all affected stakeholders from the start.

For K–12, the list may be small. Information Technology may have the largest impact on deployment, while security and facilities may direct execution.

In higher education, responsibilities are often distributed across multiple groups:

• Public safety typically oversees surveillance
• Facilities or IT teams manage access control
• IT ensures network readiness and cybersecurity
• Other departments, such as housing, athletics, and human resources, may also rely on system data

If your campus currently uses different systems selected by individual building managers or departments, consider using the pilot to evaluate a unified model. Moving from multiple standalone solutions to a unified platform improves operational efficiency and enhances the staff and student experience — especially when student ID cards or mobile credentials are already being used for libraries, labs, recreation centers, payments and equipment rental.

A unified system does not require centralizing all decision-making. Departments can maintain their own workflows and budgets while benefiting from shared infrastructure, centralized data, and a consistent user experience. With robust permission structures, each team has access only to the information relevant to its role.

Define the Goals of the Pilot

A pilot program is most effective when it has clear, measurable goals. Consider what you are hoping to achieve. Examples include cost savings or revenue generation, improved efficiency, enhanced safety or a better user experience.

Once the goals are set, name the metrics you will use to evaluate success, such as training time, reduced service calls, fewer false alarms, improved response times or lower operational costs.

Assess Your Current Environment

Before selecting pilot sites, work with your systems integrator to evaluate the components you already have in place. An open-architecture platform can ease migration by supporting a mix of newer and older hardware, reducing the need for a complete rip-and-replace.

Map out:

• Which cameras, door hardware, or sensors can be retained
• Where network upgrades are required
• Which systems must be replaced to meet your goals
• Integration points where data must flow cleanly between departments

This assessment, completed before the pilot starts, helps define the scope and sets realistic expectations for cost and timeline.

Plan a Phased, Low risk Rollout

A pilot should be intentionally small and manageable. Consider focusing on A single building or division. For example, introducing a new access control system in one residence hall or academic building before expanding campus wide.

A single solution. If evaluating a new VMS, start with video monitoring before adding ALPR, analytics, or other modules. Gather feedback from frontline users before expanding.

Parallel operations (when possible). Running old and new systems side by side—where supported—can minimize downtime and help staff adjust gradually.

Keep communication clear and consistent. Staff should understand why the pilot is happening, how long it will run, and what results you expect to measure.

Use the Pilot to Unlock Cross-departmental Value

Modern security systems generate data relevant well beyond campus safety. When departments work in silos, many of these benefits go unrealized. A pilot is a chance to prove broader value:

Facility and operation teams. They may want to review occupancy data to help refine cleaning schedules and maintenance planning. They may want to look at automation features that reduce administrative overhead, send alerts when service is needed, and help them improve service delivery.

Campus life and housing. Want to improve the overall student experience. They’ll appreciate learning about simplifying access to dorms and other campus buildings while maintaining strong security measures. Frictionless experiences increase student engagement and satisfaction but can’t come at the sacrifice of student safety.

For athletics and event teams. They may want to learn more about camera analytics that can monitor crowd flow on game days and reduce bottlenecks and queue lines. They can use the data to improve the visitor experience and potentially boost concession revenue.

Unified platforms can support strict permission structures, ensuring each department sees only what it needs while still receiving help from shared infrastructure and insights.

Evaluate, Document and Plan the Next Phase

At the end of the pilot, document the outcomes clearly. Make sure to note what worked well, what required more training or resources than expected, and what efficiencies were achieved.

Are there any technical adjustments needed before scaling up?

This documentation becomes the foundation for refining your system migration strategy. You can work with your integrator to refine the solution and make plans for next steps – or potentially try a pilot program again with a different solution. When you are satisfied with the results and the technology, you have a better opportunity to secure buy-in from leaders because you can show proven outcomes and achieved goals.

A carefully designed pilot offers a lower-risk, high-value way to plan a system migration. By involving stakeholders early, defining clear goals, assessing your current environment, and rolling out changes in manageable phases, schools can build confidence, avoid costly surprises.

You may even uncover new opportunities to use the technology across campus. With thoughtful planning and collaborative execution, a pilot becomes the first step toward a more efficient and future-ready security environment.

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2026 issue of Security Today.