[Effective Until starting with the 2024-2025 school year]

18A:41-1. Every principal of a school of two or more rooms, or of a school of one room when located above the first story of a building, shall have at least one fire drill and one school security drill each month within the school hours, including any summer months during which the school is open for instructional programs. Employees of the school district or receiving school, whether occupying buildings of one or more stories, shall keep all exterior doors and exits locked at all times except when necessary to comply with the requirements set forth in the Uniform Fire Code, including applicable requirements during an emergency lockdown or an emergency lockdown drill. All students and staff shall fully participate in each drill conducted to the greatest extent practicable and, when appropriate, utilize procedures for assisting in the rescue of persons unable to use the general means of egress to ensure that participation does not pose a safety risk. Where school buildings have been provided with fire escapes, they shall be used by a part or all of the pupils performing every fire drill. An actual school security emergency that occurs at a school during the month that includes activities which are the equivalent of a drill shall be considered a school security drill for the purposes of meeting the requirements of this section.

A law enforcement officer shall be present at a minimum of one school security drill in each school year in order to make recommendations on any improvements or changes to school security drill procedures that the officer may deem advisable.

amended 2007, c.205; 2009, c.178, s.4; 2016, c.80, s.1; 2023, c.212, s.1.