EBBE Emergency Drills

EBBE  
Emergency Drills 

Building principals shall be responsible for scheduling and conducting emergency and safety drills as required by law and for ensuring students are instructed in the procedures to follow during the drills and in an actual emergency.

Each building principal shall develop a written plan for specific emergency drills required by law.  The plan shall include specific arrangements for the evacuation of mobility impaired and other individuals who may need assistance from staff members to safely exit the building. Although plans for evacuation are essential, the state fire marshal may grant exemptions to the number or manner of drills required by law with regard to students receiving special education or related services, upon request.

Each principal shall conduct briefings with the staff concerning the emergency plan.

Each teacher shall explain relevant portions of the plan to students under their jurisdiction prior to a date established by the principal.  Within one week thereafter, the building principal shall conduct a surprise drill.  Other drills shall be held at times determined by the building principal. 

The four fire drills and three crisis drills required by law may be scheduled at any time during the school year. “Crisis drills” includes intruder response drills, lockdown drills, and active shooter drills but does not include active shooter simulations. The two tornado drills required shall be conducted in September and March. All these drills must be conducted by each school during school hours and cannot be made part of regular dismissal at the close of the school day. 

Each emergency and safety drill plan shall be reviewed by the superintendent and filed with the clerk.

Active Shooter Drills
For the purposes of this policy, terms have the following meanings.

“Active shooter drill” means an emergency preparedness drill designed to inform and instruct students, teachers, school personnel and other school staff on how to respond in the event that an armed intruder is on the school campus or an armed assailant is in the immediate vicinity of the school. “Active shooter drill” includes:

• For grades kindergarten through five, instruction through tabletop exercises and identification of appropriate places for students to locate during an emergency; and
• for grades six through 12, the information described earlier in this definition and the practice of active shooter drills.

“Active shooter drill” does not include any sensory components, activities or elements that mimic a real-life shooting. “Active shooter drill” is not an active shooter simulation.

“Active shooter simulation” means an emergency exercise, including full-scale or functional exercises, designed to inform and instruct adult teachers, school personnel and other school staff on how to respond in the event of an armed intruder on the school campus or an armed assailant in the immediate vicinity of the school. “Active shooter simulation” includes activities or elements mimicking a real-life shooting, including, but not limited to, simulation of tactical response by law enforcement. “Active shooter simulation” does not include active shooter drills.

“School” means any elementary or secondary public school maintained and operated by a school district and any accredited nonpublic school that provides any of the grades kindergarten through 12.

“Tabletop exercise” means an exercise designed to help students better understand their individual or group roles and responsibilities. “Tabletop exercises” may include constructive problem-solving as it relates to an armed intruder on the school property or an armed assailant in the immediate vicinity of the school and may incorporate age-appropriate written or video scenarios for students to follow.

The district shall conduct active shooter drills that are consistent with the guidelines published by the Kansas State Department of Education.

Once per year, the board shall review the efficacy and effect of active shooter drills and any impacts of such drills on the safety and mental health of students, teachers, and other school personnel and staff.

The principal in any district school where an active shooter drill, active shooter simulation, or tactical training exercise is to take place shall ensure a school employee notifies each parent or person acting as parent at least 24 hours prior to an active shooter drill, active shooter simulation, or tactical training exercise. The notice shall provide that the parent or person acting as parent may opt their student out of participation in such drill or simulation. Any student who is opted out of an active shooter drill or simulation shall have the opportunity to participate in alternative safety education and shall not receive any negative or punitive treatment for not participating in such drill or simulation. If notice cannot be provided at least 24 hours prior to an active shooter drill or simulation, notice shall be provided within 24 hours of the conclusion of the active shooter drill or simulation.

Nothing in this section shall be deemed to supersede or limit the ability of a parent or person acting as parent to opt their student out of participation in an active shooter drill or simulation; or require any school to conduct active shooter drills in a manner that conflicts with the guidelines published by the Kansas State Department of Education.

Except as otherwise provided in this policy regarding tactical training exercises with law enforcement, no school shall conduct, sponsor, or permit any active shooter simulation on school property where students in grades kindergarten through eight regularly attend school.

The board of education or governing body of a school may conduct, sponsor, or permit active shooter simulations on school property, if only students in grades 9 through 12 regularly attend school on such school property.

Nothing in this section shall prohibit law enforcement agencies and adult school personnel from conducting or participating in tactical training exercises on school property if:

• The exercises do not occur during regular school hours or any time when students are present or expected to be present;
• no student participates in such exercises; and
• the board has provided prior written authorization for the use of school property for such exercises. 

Adoption Date: 07/07/2019, Revised: 02/11/2019; 07/08/2019 , 7/2026