SB 1203: School safety: lockdown training.

Existing law requires every person and public officer managing, controlling, or in charge of any public, private, or parochial school, other than a 2-year community college, to cause the fire alarm signal to be sounded not less than once every calendar month and is required to conduct a fire drill at least once every calendar month at the elementary level, at least 4 times every school year at the intermediate levels, and at least twice every school year at the secondary level.

This bill would require every private school that provides educational services to pupils in kindergarten or in any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, and has an enrollment of 50 or more pupils or more than one classroom, to have procedures for conducting a lockdown, as defined, training. The bill would require a private school, in developing procedures for conducting a lockdown training, to consult with local first responder agencies, as well as mental health professionals.

Existing law provides that school districts and county offices of education are responsible for the overall development of a comprehensive school safety plan for each of its schools operating a kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires, except as provided for a small school district, the schoolsite council of a school to write and develop the comprehensive school safety plan relevant to the needs and resources of that particular school. Existing law requires the comprehensive school safety plan to contain certain things, including the development of certain school safety policies and procedures.

This bill would also require the development of procedures for conducting a lockdown, as defined, training. The bill would require a school, in developing procedures for conducting a lockdown training, to consult with local first responder agencies, as well as mental health professionals. By requiring a new duty on a school district and county office new duties on public schools, school districts, and county offices of education, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The Charter Schools Act of 1992 provides for the establishment and operation of charter schools, including countywide charter schools, and requires a petition for the establishment of a charter school to contain comprehensive descriptions of various matters and procedures, including procedures that the charter school will follow to ensure the health and safety of pupils and staff.

This bill would also require the petition to contain a comprehensive description of procedures for conducting training relating to a lockdown, as defined. defined, training. The bill would require a charter school, in developing procedures for conducting a lockdown training, to consult with local first responder agencies, as well as mental health professionals. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on county boards of education, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.