New issue of “From Practice to Policy” looks at how one state is tackling comprehensive planning 

Arlington, VA — In the year since the incomprehensible tragedy at an elementary school in Sandy Hook, CT, lawmakers, policymakers, and parents have searched for ways to make schools safer, yet there has been little consensus. But one state—Delaware—has been planning and implementing a statewide school emergency preparedness system. This month’s issue of the National Association of State Boards of Education’s (NASBE) From Practice to Policy series delves into the impetus for and stages of Delaware’s plan for multi-hazard emergency planning, and helps policymakers think through the steps needed to develop such a plan in their own states.

The drive to prepare for the many types of emergencies that could affect Delaware’s schools and the students and staff therein began with passage of the Omnibus School Safety Act, which was designed to create a cohesive, consistent approach to emergency response during a critical incident for every school and district in the state. The result has been development of a first-of-its-kind, statewide system that includes a web-based emergency information portal that allows first responders to look at up-to-date floor plans and other critical data for a school even as the responders are rushing to the site. The portal also serves as a tool to aid building staff as they develop the emergency plan for their school.

Other critical aspects of Delaware’s School Safety Act are that it requires active participation by first responders and school and district personnel, as well as the involvement of state agencies, in particular the state homeland security and education departments; requires the establishment of common training protocols across schools, districts, and different types of responders; and seeks to keep the burden on school officials to a minimum.

NASBE’s brief is designed to inform members of state boards of education, local school boards, legislators, educators, and the general public of the statutes and policies they can use to achieve the goal of being prepared for emergencies both general and specific to their locale.

“School must absolutely be safe places to learn and grow for students, and educators and staff must feel secure to effectively perform their jobs,” said NASBE Executive Director Kristen Amundson. “There is no substitute to being prepared for the worst possible scenario, and the onus is on every concerned citizen to make sure their state and district has effective plans in place to mitigate disasters.”

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The National Association of State Boards of Education represents America’s state and territorial boards of education. NASBE exists to strengthen State Boards as the preeminent educational policymaking bodies for citizens and students. For more, visit www.nasbe.org.