Strategies to Grow in the Education Market

Why Now Is the Time for Projects in the Education Vertical 

If you’re a commercial integrator looking to break into new markets or expand your customer base, it’s a good time to consider the education vertical. From audio/video upgrades to expanded security technology, sustainable technology and enhanced IT infrastructure, the need, desire and budgets are emerging for qualified integrators to supply schools with the solutions they need. 

Advanced AV and security in educational facilities

Educators and administrators, alike, have recognized the benefits and convenience of remote learning, which got an emergency jumpstart during the pandemic out of necessity. Today, K-12 schools and higher learning facilities are taking those systems and exploring potential upgrades to make a temporary solution more functional, viable and scalable for the long-term.

Advanced audiovisual tools, augmented reality and virtual reality, plus multi-screen learning to keep children engaged all play into the modern classroom. The concept of the “untethered teacher,” who wanders the classroom to keep the attention of students, requires the ability to send any source to any screen in the room or to create huddle groups for personalized learning. Most of all, today’s schools need to bridge the gap between disparity in AV resources across a district with scalable, affordable solutions that require minimal training for technology adoption.

On top of that, schools continue to grapple with security issues, from vandalism to preventing active shooter tragedies that claim lives and create anxiety and feelings of fear and insecurity in children. A study from Pew Research found that 57% of teens are worried a shooting will occur in their school. We won’t say that more products and advanced technology offer a solution. But security cameras, video monitoring, and the right infrastructure can help as a deterrent to keep people who don’t belong – and who mean harm to students and teachers – out of our schools.

Enhanced security, sustainable systems and remote and hybrid learning, all require a robust IT infrastructure. Today’s audio/video and security integrators increasingly find themselves responsible for IT infrastructure, as well.

“If you’re going to be relevant in any electronics industry, you have to be relevant in all of them,” Jim Kirst, Director – Strategic Initiatives for ADI Global, said.

Curtis Paradzick, vice president of sales for technology solutions company VectorUSA, an ADI customer, said, “The reason we do have an audiovisual department and a physical security group is because those applications are intruding on the IT network.”

Why schools need better AV and IT: Are you ready to provide it? 

Remote and hybrid learning during the pandemic gave us a glimpse into what’s possible for students and teachers in today’s tech-friendly world. A study from Furturesource Consulting recently revealed that IT budgets in schools expanded from $2.07 million to an average of $2.5 million in 2022. School IT decision-makers further reported that they expected budgets to increase by another 15% in 2024.

“Taking a closer look at the detail, around 25% of total available IT budget is being allocated to AV devices,” said Natalie Tapera, Market Analyst, Futuresource Consulting, in a blog post, “and schools are now looking to make better use of that budget.”   

She added, “During the pandemic, there was a fairly rapid, knee-jerk response. Districts made snap purchases and faced delays in deployment. Now, decision-makers are increasingly looking for long-term solutions that provide better value, quality and communication with students and staff.”  

Interactive flat panels make up a portion of the budget for AV in schools, while many seek stream-casting solutions for flexibility in the classroom. Integrators who can provide flexible, scalable and affordable solutions can deliver what schools need.  

Other trends in classroom technology include display screens and digital signage throughout the schools to aid in emergency alerts and wayfinding, and webcams and headsets to assist in hybrid learning.  

Upgrades with an eye on sustainability in schools

Students need school environments with “safety, belonging and health” to learn and thrive, studies show. With these needs in mind, the Biden Administration passed the Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure.

The U.S. Department of Energy then launched the Renew America’s Schools program to promote clean energy and improved air quality initiatives in schools. If you are a commercial integrator reading this, you’re probably thinking about sustainable AV upgrades with energy-efficient monitors and interactive flat panels, as well as upgrades involving motion sensors for lighting and AV equipment.

Government officials at the federal, state and local levels, as well as school board administrators, have identified the problems and the needs. It’s up to technology integrators to offer affordable solutions.

Government initiatives go hand-in-hand with grant money. If you can help your clients secure grants for the technology they need, everybody wins. “Off-the-shelf improvements can provide energy savings of 10 to 30 percent and broader upgrades can unlock even more savings for years to come,” according to the statement issued by The White House.

AV integrators are uniquely poised to provide comprehensive upgrades including temperature control, motion sensors for lighting and temperature control, and energy-efficient screens to reduce overall energy costs in schools.

You can consult with ADI’s Systems Design team for tips on how to help your customers in educational facilities integrate the technology they want that is also energy efficient.

Technology to help keep students safe

Security technology in schools is a deeply moving topic for anyone with children who experienced the attack at Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkwood or dozens of other school shootings in the past three decades. Even if your child didn’t go to these schools, if you heard the news, you were affected.

“As instances of school violence continue to rise, we should all be looking for ways to help protect our children and the staff that work in our schools,” Kirst said.

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But that’s not the reason alone to provide school security solutions as an AV integrator. “It’s not like we woke up one day and said, ‘Hey, the world is a dangerous place and physical security is a hot market, let’s get into that,’” Kirst said.

Rather, IT and AV integrators are in a unique spot to integrate these solutions thanks to their expertise.

Curtis said, “Physical security pivoted into an IT-based solution, so now that it’s an IT-based solution riding the network, we have to figure it out.”

Likewise, if you are an AV integrator, you have plenty of opportunities to foray into school security because video cameras and school-wide alerts through a digital signage network can help alert staff and students in any emergency, whether it’s a fire, a fight amongst students or an active shooter.

“AI advancements have been pretty remarkable,” Kirst said. “Cameras can now sense context detection and aggression detection. So, as the cameras are equipped with audio, they can actually sense raised voices and aggressive behavior.”

Cameras can also detect loitering, so whether it’s a student poised to perform graffiti on walls or kids fighting in stairwells, the cameras can detect it and alert those in charge. “The AI advancements have been pretty remarkable… The schools are using that are able to take advantage of these technologies can help curb some of the violence before it starts,” Kirst said.

ADI can also assist in the supply and integration of access control products, including:

• Push-to-exit buttons
• Turnstiles
• Walk-through metal detectors
• Motion and perimeter sensors
• Gunshot detectors
• Security sirens and strobes

If an AV integrator doesn't have expertise in security, they should partner with a security integrator pursue these projects together.

Get help with ADI’s Systems Design team

Integrators who work with ADI gain access to a systems design team that can help you find the right products at the right price. ADI systems design team can design scalable, effective systems for educational facilities to provide top-notch security, advanced AV to reach every student and a network to handle it all.

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How to guide your clients to the funding they need 

From state Smart Schools grants to federal money for technology, schools have access to funding to upgrade security, AV and IT systems. But many schools aren’t aware they can secure funding to integrate the AV systems their students and teachers need to thrive.

“I've noticed that a lot of the approved grant funding is going unused, which leads me to believe that school districts are either uncertain how to apply and use the grants, or they may not be aware of the grants that are available to them,” Kirst said.

Administrators and school board trustees should educate themselves on available grants. But if they reach out to a commercial integrator and voice their budget concerns, you should be able to help.

As an integrator, you can also use inbound marketing techniques, including emails, social media and blog posts, to let past clients and prospects know that funding may be available for the AV, security and IT upgrades they want. You’re not just expanding your customer base and revenue, you are helping keep schools safe and expanding access to learning technology in districts across the U.S.

“Integrators can reach out to their local at ADI contact for more information about the grants that are available,” Kirst concluded.