Policy CEB - District Emergency Response Plan
Policy CEB - District Emergency Response Plan (PDF)
Issue Date: March 17, 2021
Citations Updated: October 18, 2023
Adoption of Plan
Pursuant to Utah Code § 53G-4-402(20), the Board shall adopt and implement a comprehensive emergency response plan to prevent and combat violence in the schools, on school grounds, on school vehicles, and in connection with school-related activities and events. Existing plans shall be modified as needed to conform to the requirements of rules issued by the State Board of Education. Plans shall be reviewed at least once every three years and updated as needed.
Utah Code § 53G-4-402(20)(a) (2023)
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-3(4) (January 22, 2020)
Emergency Response Plan Committee
The Board of Education shall appoint a committee to assist with development or revision or review of emergency response plans. The committee shall consist of appropriate school and community representatives and may include administrators, teachers, parents, officers of other governmental entities (municipalities, counties, or others), and fire and law enforcement personnel. The committee shall include representatives of governmental agencies and bodies vested with responsibility for directing and coordinating emergency services on local and state levels.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-3(3) (January 22, 2020)
Contents of Plan
The District Comprehensive Emergency Response Plan shall
- include prevention, intervention, and response components;
- be consistent with the student conduct and discipline policies required for school districts by statute;
- require professional learning for all district and school building staff on the staff’s roles are in the emergency response plan;
- provide for coordination with local law enforcement and other public safety representatives in preventing, intervening, and responding to violence in the schools, on school grounds, on school vehicles, and in connection with school-related activities and events;
- include a process to timely notify staff of a crisis;
- include a student and parent notification policy that uses safe messaging;
- identify one or more SafeUT liaisons to provide information from SafeUT to relevant stakeholders, communicate with SafeUT concerning updates and feedback, and attend the annual SafeUT training provided by the State Superintendent;
- include procedures to notify a student, to the extent practicable, who is off-campus at the time of a school violence emergency because the student is either participating in a school-related activity or excused from school for released-time religious instruction;
- include, to the extent practicable, standards and protections for participants and attendees at school-related activities, including those off school property;
- include measures to assure that during an emergency students receive reasonably adequate educational services and supervision during school hours during an emergency and for education services in an extended emergency situation;
- include evacuation procedures to assure reasonable care and supervision of students until the student is released to a responsible party or as is permitted under State Board of Education regulation;
- address access to school buildings by specific groups, including students, community members, lessees, invitees, and others;
- require individual schools to establish a parent and student reunification plan;
- include measures to assure that students receive emergency preparedness training, including age-appropriate training regarding rescue techniques, first aid, safety measures appropriate to specific emergencies, and other emergency
- establish a multidisciplinary team to identify interventions for students who may be highly impacted by a crisis;
- identify and keep a record of crisis response professionals who may assist in crisis response and resources and community partnerships for follow-up or intensive care after a crisis;
- identify resources and materials available for emergency training;
- contain procedures for assessing and providing school facilities, equipment, and personnel to meet public emergency needs; and
- provide procedures for recording District funds spent for emergencies (including funds spent for assessing and repairing damages) and for seeking reimbursement for such expenditures.
Utah Code § 53G-4-402(20)(b) (2023)
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-4(4), 5, 6(1), 6(10), 10(2)(b), 11(1) (January 22, 2020)
Formulation and Review of Plan
In creating the comprehensive emergency resource plan, the Board shall consider and make use of resources provided by the Utah State Board of Education, including the plan models and other resources prepared by the State Board as provided for in Utah Code § 53G-4-402(20)(c), recommendations provided by the emergency response plan committee, and may consider such other resources it finds helpful.
Utah Code § 53G-4-402(20)(c) (2023)
The Board may direct individual schools to develop and implement school-specific emergency response plans to supplement the District’s plan according to the needs and features of the school.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-3(2) (January 22, 2020)
In cooperation with the appropriate local law enforcement agencies, the District shall establish a parent and student reunification plan for each school in the District. Such plan shall provide for reasonable care and supervision of students until the student is released to a responsible party. Schools shall not release students grade 8 or below unless a parent or other responsible person has been notified and assumed responsibility for the student. A school may release a student grade 9 or above without such notification if a school administrator determines that the student is reasonably responsible and that notification is not practicable.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-6(10)(a) (January 22, 2020)
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-5(1)(b) (January 22, 2020)
The District emergency response plan shall be reviewed at least once every three years, with the assistance of the District emergency response plan committee appointed by the Board of Education. As part of the review process, each school shall review existing security measures and procedures within that school and make necessary adjustments as funding permits.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-3(4) -7(1)(c) (January 22, 2020)
Public Notice of Plan
A copy of the District emergency response plan and any school emergency response plans shall be filed in the superintendent’s office. At the beginning of each school year, written notice of the pertinent portions of the District plan and any school plan shall be provided to the parents or guardians of students at each school and the staff of each school. Each school shall also designate an Emergency Preparedness/Emergency Response week each year before April 30.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-4(1), (2), (3) (January 22, 2020)
As part of the District’s registration and enrollment process, parents shall annually be given a summary of parental expectations and notification procedures relating to the parent and student reunification plan for each school where the parent has students enrolled. This information shall also be published on each school’s website.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-4(1), (2), (3) (January 22, 2020)
Emergency Preparedness Training
The Board of Education shall, by July 1 of each year, certify to the State Superintendent that the District emergency response plan has been practiced at the school level and has been presented to and reviewed by the District’s teachers, administrators, students and their parents or guardians, and public safety representatives.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-3(1) (January 22, 2020)
The District shall provide annual training to District and school staff on their roles, responsibilities, and priorities in the emergency response plan.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-7(1)(a) (January 22, 2020)
Each school shall conduct emergency drills as required by Utah State Board of Education Rules R277-400-6 and R277-400-7(1)(b).
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-6, -7(1)(b) (January 22, 2020)
Prevention and Intervention
The District shall provide schools with curriculum materials regarding comprehensive violence prevention and intervention strategies such as resource lessons and materials on anger management, conflict resolution, and respect for diversity and other cultures. In so doing, the District shall make use of materials and resources provided by the State Board of Education. Schools may also provide age-appropriate instruction on firearm safety, including appropriate steps to take if a student sees a firearm or facsimile firearm at school.
To the extent resources permit, the District shall also develop or incorporate care teams, tiered student assistance programs, social-emotional learning, support through multidisciplinary teams. Multidisciplinary teams, such as care teams, may review school safety related data, conduct threat assessments, consult on case-specific interventions and disciplinary actions, involve parents in the intervention process, and suggest refferals to resources as appropriate. Such teams may include administration personnel, local law enforcement (or a school SRO), a mental health professional, a general or special education teacher, and others as appropriate in the circumstances.
In developing student assistance programs, the District may coordinate with the State Superintendent and other state agencies.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-8 (January 22, 2020)
School Safety Specialist
Each school shall designate a school employee as the school safety specialist. The school safety specialist is responsible to support school safety initiatives, including performance of the threat assessment and ensuring building security during an incident. The threat assessment and measures for building security shall follow the protocols established in the model critical incident response training program developed by the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Safety.
Utah Code § 53G-8-701(4) (2023)
Utah Code § 53G-8-701.5 (2023)
Utah Code § 53G-8-802(2)(g)(i) (2023)
School Building Access
With respect to building access during an emergency by various groups (including students, employees, community members, lessees, invitees, and others), the emergency response plan shall consider identified time periods and shall address possession and use of school building keys by designated administrators and employees. The plan may include restricted access for some individuals.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-400-5(1)(c) (January 22, 2020)
Cooperation With Other Government Entities
As appropriate, the Board of Education may enter into cooperative agreements with other governmental entities to establish proper coordination and support during emergencies.
The Board shall cooperate with other governmental entities to provide emergency relief services in times of public need. For statewide emergencies or emergencies involving more than one school district, the State Superintendent is the chief officer to coordinate assistance by the schools. For emergencies within the school district, the Board of Education, through the superintendent, is the chief officer to coordinate assistance by the schools.