Integrated network cameras are taking on all kinds of new responsibilities in schools, including running iPhone-style applications, reading license plates and even talking back to misbehaving students, according to a report from Fox News.

Schools have been eager to leverage the latest in surveillance technology, arguing for the benefits of these smart cameras. Approximately 75 percent of new video cameras installed in U.S. schools last year were analog, and about 50 percent are digital models with built-in Internet connections, pixel-perfect picture and the ability to record heat signatures, Fox News says.

For AXIS Communications’ cameras, there’s an app for that too. The AXIS ARTPEC chip embedded in certain cameras lets software developers create applications and run analytics within the camera itself, similar to an iPhone application.

Schools can enable remote access to live video in an emergency, and digital footage on an HDTV can identify faces, clothing and license plates, the article says.

Cameras that identify students who are out of class can also alert authorities, who can then directly speak to that student through a built-in speaker, Fox News says.

Connetquot Central School District of Islip, N.Y., deployed a district-wide surveillance system in 2010 to monitor all 11 schools, and they reported a 60 percent reduction in vandalism since the installation.

The Chippewa Valley Schools in Detroit leverage modern video systems to teachers can focus on teaching rather than investigating incidents, according to Fox News. Principals and assistant principals can watch multiple camera feeds on their desktop computers, allowing them to focus their efforts and resources instead of spending the day patrolling hallways.