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131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2023
Legislative Document No. 477H.P. 294House of Representatives, February 7, 2023
Resolve, Directing the Department of Education, Maine School
Safety Center to Convene a Stakeholder Group to Develop Best
Practices for Lockdown Drills and Allowing Parents to Opt Out of
Lockdown Drills for Their Children
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MILLETT of Cape Elizabeth.
Cosponsored by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland and
Representatives: DODGE of Belfast, DOUDERA of Camden, GRAMLICH of Old Orchard
Beach, SACHS of Freeport, ZAGER of Portland, Senator: INGWERSEN of York. Page 1 - 131LR0665(01)1 That the Department of Education, Maine
2 School Safety Center shall convene a stakeholder group to develop best practices for
3 lockdown drills implemented by school administrative units to minimize traumatic impact
4 on students and school staff, including but not limited to representatives of:
5 1. The Maine School Superintendents Association;
6 2. The Maine School Boards Association;
7 3. The Maine Principals' Association;
8 4. The Maine Education Association;
9 5. The Maine Chiefs of Police Association;
10 6. The Maine State Parent Teacher Association;
11 7. The Maine Parent Federation;
12 8. The Maine School Counselor Association; and
13 9. The American Academy of Pediatrics, Maine Chapter.
14 By January 1, 2024, the department shall report to the Joint Standing Committee on
15 Education and Cultural Affairs on the work of the stakeholder group, specifically regarding
16 the best practices for lockdown drills and a plan for all school staff to be trained in their
17 school administrative unit's emergency plan prior to January 1, 2025, but also including an
18 evaluation of the effectiveness of the range of lockdown drills as implemented by public
19 schools at increasing safety, the traumatic impact of lockdown drills on students and school
20 staff, the number of school administrative units using best practices for lockdown drills and
21 other strategies to ensure students and school staff are prepared to respond to emergencies,
22 including school shootings. The joint standing committee may report out a bill to the
23 Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature to implement the recommendations of the
24 stakeholder group.
25 That the Department of Education shall
26 amend its rule Chapter 125: Basic Approval Standards: Public Schools and School
27 Administrative Units, Section 5.17 to allow parents to opt out of lockdown drills for their
28 child. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the
29 Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
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31 This resolve directs the Department of Education, Maine School Safety Center to
32 convene a stakeholder group to develop best practices for lockdown drills implemented by
33 school administrative units to minimize traumatic impact on students and staff. It requires
34 the department to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs
35 on the work of the stakeholder group, specifically regarding the best practices for lockdown
36 drills and a plan for all school staff to be trained in their school administrative unit's
37 emergency plan prior to January 1, 2025, but also including an evaluation of the
38 effectiveness of the range of lockdown drills as implemented by public schools at
39 increasing safety, the traumatic impact of lockdown drills on students and school staff, the
40 number of school administrative units using best practices for lockdown drills and other
41 strategies to ensure students and school staff are prepared to respond to emergencies,
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42 including school shootings. The joint standing committee is authorized to report out a bill
43 to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature to implement the recommendations
44 of the stakeholder group.
4 It also directs the department to adopt routine technical rules amending rule Chapter
5 125: Basic Approval Standards: Public Schools and School Administrative Units, Section
6 5.17 to allow parents to opt out of lockdown drills for their child.
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