As we help get your family classroom ready it’s not just reading, writing and math your students are learning, they will also learn about lockdowns, evacuations and sheltering in place. There are six different types of safety drills Texas students will practice this school year. KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis explains the difference so you can talk to your child about what they’re learning.
All of the drills your kids will practice during the school year
These drills used to be just recommended or best practice for Texas schools until the shooting at Santa Fe high school in 2018. Now the state mandates how many drills each campus must do for specific types of emergencies. But when you get a text alert or phone call from your child’s school about a drill, or a lockdown, do you know what it means?
“This is a daily conversation that I have to have with my children,” said Santa Fe ISD parent Christine Delgado.
“My kids and I talk about it before and after. They always know what’s going on,” said Tonia Jaeggi, Cy-Fair ISD parent.
KPRC 2 Investigates talked with mothers from school districts in our area. The main concern was school safety but what also came up in the conversation was school drills. Many parents said the school does not notify them before the drills happen. Others said the district told them about the drills but didn’t give specifics.
“We get an email from our principal, and we make it a practice in our house to talk about it afterwards,” said Amanda Fenwick
In fact, the law states schools should provide advance notification of drills and exercises. But parents we spoke with in Houston ISD say they learn about the drills from their children after the fact.
“It would be nice to know about it ahead of time,” said Houston ISD parent Monica Garcia.
“It certainly is important to let parents know. I mean, the whole point of a drill is not to say we’re going to do a lockdown drill on Friday at 12 p.m. You do want somewhat of an element of surprise to practice those protocols, but it is important in a best practice to be communicating that information out,” said Kathy Martinez-Prather, Texas School Safety Center.
What drills will my students be doing at school?
As a parent, knowing the types of drills ahead of time can help ease concern if everyone knows what to expect. The Texas School Safety Center outlines the various types of drills like this:
- Secure Drill: A response action schools take to secure the perimeter of school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose a threat or hazard outside of the school building. Secure uses the security of the physical facility to act as protection to deny entry. This is a drill to secure the perimeter of school buildings and ground to keep threats and hazards out. Think “get inside. Lock outside doors.” Schools must do at least one of these drills each year.
- Lockdown Drill: (Also known as ‘active shooter drill’) A response action schools take to secure interior portions of school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose an immediate threat of violence inside the school. The primary objective is to quickly ensure all school students, staff, and visitors are secured away from immediate danger. Schools must do two of these each year.
- Evacuation Drill: A response action schools take to quickly move students and staff from one place to another. The primary objective of an evacuation is to ensure that all staff, students, and visitors can quickly move away from the threat. Evacuation examples include a bomb threat or internal gas leak. Schools must do these drills once a year.
- Shelter-in-Place for Hazardous Materials Drill: A response action schools take to quickly move students, staff, and visitors indoors, perhaps for an extended period of time, because it is safer inside the building than outside. Affected individuals may be required to move to rooms without windows or to rooms that can be sealed. Shelter-in-Place for hazmat examples include train derailment with chemical release or smoke from a nearby fire.
- Shelter for Severe Weather Drill: A response action schools take to quickly move students, staff, and visitors indoors, perhaps for an extended period of time, because it is safer inside the building than outside. For severe weather, depending on the type and/or threat level (watch vs. warning), affected individuals may be required to move to rooms without windows on the lowest floor possible or to a weather shelter.
- Fire Evacuation Drill: A method of practicing how a building would be vacated in the event of a fire. The purpose of fire drills in buildings is to ensure that everyone knows how to exit safely as quickly as possible. Schools must do these four times a year.
READ MORE: State school drill requirements
New this year, Texas lawmakers approved House Bill 3 which requires an armed, trained officer on every school campus. The law took effect September 1st. KPRC 2 Investigates asked 20+ school districts in our area if they were ready for the new rules. 10 told us they have secured enough officers or school guardians to comply with the new law.
We’ve put together school safety procedures for each school district in our area. Check your district here.
MORE ON CLASSROOM READY: KPRC 2 is dedicated to bringing you all of the information you need to get your family ‘Classroom Ready’. From mental health concerns to social media settings you should know about, check out the full KPRC 2 content for your family here.