N.J.S.A. 18A:41-7 — Provision of training on school safety, security.

18A:41-7 Provision of training on school safety, security. 2. a. A local board of education, chief school administrator of a receiving school, and chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall ensure that all full-time employees in the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school are provided with training on school safety and security that includes instruction on school security drills. The training shall model the training provided by the New Jersey School Safety Specialist Academy established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2017, c.162 (C.18A:17-43.2), use the drill guide and training materials prepared pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2009, c.178 (C.App.A:9-86), and utilize various formats such as drills, functional exercises, and tabletop exercises. The annual training provided to employees shall be conducted by the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school in consultation with emergency responders, including law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services personnel, in order to identify weaknesses in school safety and security policies and procedures and to increase the effectiveness of emergency responders. b. A local board of education, chief school administrator of a receiving school, and chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall ensure that individuals employed in the school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school in a substitute capacity are provided with information and training on the district's, receiving school's, or nonpublic school's practices and procedures on school safety and security including instruction on school security drills, evacuation procedures, and emergency response protocols in the school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school and the school building where the individuals are employed. In the event that an individual is employed in a substitute capacity in the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school at the time the school safety and security training is being provided to full-time employees pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school shall include the individual in the training. c. A local board of education, chief school administrator of a receiving school, and chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall provide, to the extent permitted by federal law, to all persons who supervise youth programs that are not sponsored by the school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school, but operate a program in a district, receiving school, or nonpublic school building before or after school hours, on the weekend, or during a period when school is not in session, information on school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school practices and procedures in the event of a school safety or security incident at a school including non-confidential information on evacuation procedures, emergency response protocols, and emergency contact information. The information provided to persons who supervise youth programs pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall not include student records. It shall be the responsibility of the organization that sponsors the youth program to train the program's employees and volunteers on the school security and emergency procedures in effect in the school building in which the youth program is located. The organization that sponsors the youth program shall file a statement of assurance with the school district superintendent, chief school administrator of the receiving school, or chief school administrator of the nonpublic school that it has complied with the training requirements prior to the district, receiving school, or nonpublic school authorizing the use of the school building. The statement of assurance shall be developed by the Commissioner of Education and shall be filed with the school district, receiving school, or nonpublic school on an annual basis. d. Any information or training provided pursuant to this section shall address the unique needs of students with disabilities in the event of a fire drill, school security drill, or actual emergency situation. An employee subject to the provisions of subsections a. or b. of this section shall be made aware of any anticipated mobility, sensory, medical, social, communication, emotional, regulatory, and decision-making support needs of students in the care of the employee and any supports, modifications, accommodations, and services to be provided to students, as enumerated in their individualized education programs, individualized health care plans, 504 plans, or service plans pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2023, c.212 (C.18A:46-2.15). e. As used in this section, "receiving school" means an educational services commission, jointure commission, regional day school, county special services school district, the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf, approved private school for students with disabilities, and public college-operated programs for students with disabilities. L.2009, c.178, s.2; amended 2016, c.80, s.3; 2019, c.480; 2023, c.212, s.2. 18A:41-7a School security drills, procedure. 1. a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a school district shall ensure that a school security drill that occurs when students are present: (1) includes clear, developmentally and age-appropriate messaging to students and staff at the conclusion of the drill that the event is a drill and that no current danger exists; (2) does not expose students to content or imaging that is not developmentally or age-appropriate; (3) is paired with trauma-informed approaches to address any student inquiries or concerns which may arise as a result of a school security drill; (4) does not include the use of fake blood, real or prop firearms, or the simulations of gun shots, explosions, or other sounds or visuals that may induce panic or a traumatic response from a student or school district employee; (5) does not require a student to role play as a victim, but may include first aid training in which students participate; (6) is accessible to students with disabilities and mental health conditions, and provides all necessary accommodations for these students. b. A school district shall provide written notification to the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the district following completion of a school security drill, which notice shall be provided to the parent or guardian by no later than the end of the school day on which the school security drill is conducted. c. A school district may permit emergency personnel access to the buildings and grounds of its schools for school security drills that are scheduled outside of school hours and during such times as students are not present. d. A school district shall review and update its school security drill procedures using a process that coincides with the review of the school safety and security plan developed pursuant to N.J.A.C.6A:16-5.1 and collects input from emergency personnel, parents and guardians of students enrolled in the district, teachers and staff employed in the district, mental health professionals, and student government representatives from multiple grade levels. e. A school district shall annually track data on such measures and information as are required by the Commissioner of Education, and shall report the data to the commissioner. L. 2021, c.365.

This is the verbatim text of N.J.S.A. 18A:41-7, retrieved from the New Jersey Legislature's public statute corpus. Statutes are amended periodically — for the most current version, check the external source link above. Kyzer is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice.