Adopted: January 1998
Revised: April 2026
Download 506.1AR - Security in District Schools
1. Purpose
The purpose of this regulation is to help increase the safety and security of district schools for students, staff and visitors. It shall provide security and crisis management guidance for school district and building administrators, school employees, students, school board members, and community members to address a wide range of potential crisis situations in the school district. The step-by-step procedures suggested by this regulation will provide guidance in drafting crisis management procedures to coordinate protective actions prior to, during, and after any type of emergency or potential crisis situation.
The school district will, to the extent possible, engage in ongoing emergency planning within the school district and with emergency responders and other relevant community organizations. The school district will ensure that relevant emergency responders in the community have access to their crisis management plans and will provide training to school district staff to enable them to act appropriately in the event of a crisis.
2. General Information
2.1. The Regulation and Plans
The school district’s crisis management procedures and plans have been created in consultation with local community response agencies and other appropriate individuals and groups that would likely be involved in the event of a school emergency.
The crisis management plans will include general crisis procedures and crisis-specific procedures. This regulation, and the procedures and plans will be maintained and updated on an annual basis.
2.2. Elements of District 196 Crisis Management
2.2.1. General Crisis Procedures
The district maintains a Standard Response Protocol with procedures for the following building response actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. The district designates the individual(s) who will determine when these actions will be taken. These crisis procedures are maintained in an Emergency Operations Procedures manual (EOP). A communication system will be in place to enable the designated individual to be contacted at all times in the event of a potential crisis, setting forth the method to contact the designated individual, the provision of at least two designees when the contact person is unavailable, and the method to convey contact information to the appropriate staff persons. The alternative designees may include members of the district emergency response team. A secondary method of communication should be included in the plan for use when the primary method of communication is inoperable. The district will access the Comprehensive School Safety Guide (2011 Edition) to assist in the development of the district crisis management plans.
2.2.1.1 Hold Procedures
Hold procedures will be used when the hallways in the school building need to remain clear. Examples of situations that may require a hold procedure include a medical emergency or an altercation. During holds, classroom instruction should continue as normal, however, students and staff should remain in the classroom until the hold is lifted
2.2.1.2 Secure Procedures
Secure procedures are called for when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building that requires the school building to be locked and people restricted from gaining access to or leaving the school building. Incidents that may require a secure procedure include an unknown person on school property, violence or criminal activity in the immediate neighborhood, a dangerous animal on or near the school grounds, or planned police activity in the neighborhood. Classroom instruction continues as normal.
2.2.1.3.Lockdown Procedures
Lockdown procedures will be used in situations where harm may result to persons inside the school building, such as a shooting, hostage incident, intruder, trespass, disturbance, or when determined to be necessary by the building administrator or his or her designee. The building administrator or designee will announce the lockdown over the public address system or other designated system. Code words will not be used. Provisions for emergency evacuation will be maintained even in the event of a lockdown. Each building administrator will submit lockdown procedures for their building as part of the building-specific crisis management plan.
2.2.1.4 Evacuation Procedures
Evacuations of classrooms and buildings shall be implemented at the discretion of the building administrator or his or her designee. Each building’s crisis management plan will include procedures for transporting students and staff a safe distance from harm to a designated safe area until released by the building administrator or designee. Safe areas may change based upon the specific emergency situation. The evacuation procedures should include specific procedures for children with special needs, including children with limited mobility (wheelchairs, braces, crutches, etc.), visual impairments, hearing impairments, and other sensory, developmental, or mental health needs. The evacuation procedures should also address transporting necessary medications for students that take medications during the school day.
2.2.1.5.Sheltering Procedures
Sheltering provides refuge for students, staff, and visitors within the school building during an emergency. Shelters are safe areas that maximize the safety of inhabitants. Safe areas may change based upon the specific emergency. The building administrator or his or her designee will announce the need for sheltering over the public address system or other designated system. Each building administrator will submit sheltering procedures for his or her building as part of the building-specific crisis management plan.
2.2.2. Crisis-Specific Procedures
District 196 crisis management procedures contained in the EOP include crisis-specific procedures for crisis situations that may occur during the school day or at school-sponsored events and functions. These district-wide procedures are designed to enable building administrators to tailor response procedures when creating building-specific crisis management plans. Crisis-specific procedures may include, but are not limited to fire, hazardous materials, severe weather: tornado/severe thunderstorm/flooding, medical emergency, fight/disturbance, assault, intruder, weapons. shooting, hostage, bomb threat, chemical or biological threat, telephone threats, protest or demonstration, suicide, lock-down procedures, shelter-in-place procedures, evacuation/relocation, media procedures, post-crisis procedures, school emergency response team, and emergency phone numbers.
2.2.3. Building Emergency Response Teams
2.2.3.1.Composition
The building administrator in each school building will select a building emergency response team that will be trained to respond to emergency situations. All building emergency response team members will receive on-going training to carry out the crisis management plans and will have knowledge of procedures, evacuation routes, and safe areas. For purposes of student safety and accountability, to the extent possible, building emergency response team members will not have direct responsibility for the supervision of students. Team members must be willing to be actively involved in the resolution of crises and be available to assist in any crisis situation as deemed necessary by the building administrator. Each building will maintain a current list of building emergency response team members which will be updated annually. The building administrator, and his or her alternative designees, will know the location of that list in the event of an emergency. A copy of the list will be kept on file in the school district office.
2.2.3.2.Leaders
The building administrator or his or her designee will serve as the leader of the building emergency response team and will be the primary contact for emergency response officials. In the event the primary designee is unavailable, the designee list should include more than one alternative designee and may include members of the emergency response team. When emergency response officials are present, they may elect to take command and control of the crisis. It is critical in this situation that school officials assume a resource role and be available as necessary to emergency response officials.
2.2.4 The school district will collaborate with local law enforcement to ensure officers are able to promptly respond to emergency situations in district buildings when necessary to ensure the safety and security of students, staff, and visitors.
3. Visitors
3.1 All visitors must sign in when they first arrive at school during school hours.
3.2 All visitors must be given a name tag or badge to wear while they are in the building during school hours.
3.3 Staff are expected to question people in the building whom they don’t recognize and who are not wearing a name tag or badge.
3.4 Staff and visitors shall comply with Policy 806 and Administrative Regulation 806AR, Visitors to Schools.
4. Students and Staff
Students and staff are instructed to immediately report to a teacher or administrator any suspicious behavior or situation that makes them uncomfortable.
Teachers generally have the most direct contact with students on a day-to-day basis. As a result, they must be aware of their role in responding to crisis situations. This also applies to non-teaching school personnel who have direct contact with students. All staff shall be aware of the school district’s crisis management procedures. Employees will have access to applicable portions of crisis management plans and shall receive periodic training on plan implementation.
Students and parents/guardians shall be made aware of applicable portions of the school district’s crisis management procedures, including the Standard Response Protocol. Students shall receive specific instruction on plan implementation and shall participate in a required number of drills and practice sessions throughout the school year.
5. Building Security
5.1 All but one outside door will be locked during the school day.
5.2 Signs will be posted on one or more exterior doors welcoming visitors and informing them to sign in.
5.3 Portions of the building that will not be needed after the regular school day will be closed off.
5.4 Locked exterior doors will be equipped with an audible alarm.
6. After Regular School Hours
Building supervision is provided in schools when most community education and other after-school activities are taking place.
7. Security in High Schools – In district high schools, the following steps will also be taken:
7.1 Require students to identify themselves upon request in school or on school property, and
7.2 A staff member will be placed at the main entrance to greet visitors and assist them with signing in.
8. General Video Cameras
Video cameras are placed in schools as a deterrent for unwanted behavior and to aid investigation of unwanted behavior. Students are subject to discipline and referral to law enforcement for incidents of misconduct caught on video.
9. Drills
9.1 Each school shall conduct the following emergency drills annually:
9.1.1 Five lockdown drills – three with students and two without students;
9.1.2 Five fire drills with students, and
9.1.3 One tornado drill with students, and
9.1.4 One emergency storm shelter drill with students, where a storm shelter has been designated.
9.2 Schools shall be available to law enforcement officials, as requested, for practice drills.
10. Facility Layouts
All school buildings will have a facility diagram and site plan that includes the location of primary and secondary evacuation routes, exits, designated shelter areas inside the building, and the location of fire alarm control panel, fire alarm pull stations, and fire extinguishers. All facility diagrams and site plans will be updated regularly and whenever a major change is made to a building. Facility diagrams and site plans will be easily accessible and on file in the facility office. Facility diagrams and site plans will be provided to first responders, such as fire and law enforcement personnel. Schools and departments should not display their building layout on websites.
11. Planning and Preparing for Fire
11.1 A safe assembly point will be designated at each building at least 50 feet away from the building to enable students and staff to evacuate. The assembly point should not interfere with emergency responders or responding vehicles and should not be in an area where evacuated persons are exposed to any products of combustion. (Depending on the wind direction, where the building on fire is located, the direction from which the fire is arriving, and the location of fire equipment, the distance may need to be extended.)
11.2 Each building’s facility diagram and site plan shall be available in appropriate areas of the building and shall identify the most direct evacuation routes to the designated safe areas both inside and outside of the building. The facility diagram and site plan must identify the location of the fire alarm control panel, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers.
11.3 Teachers and staff will receive training on the location of the primary emergency evacuation routes and alternate routes from various points in the building. During fire drills, students and staff will practice evacuations using primary evacuation routes and alternate routes. Certain employees, such as those who work in hazardous areas in the building, will receive training on the locations and proper use of fire extinguishers and protective clothing and equipment.
11.4 Fire drills will be conducted periodically without warning at various times of the day and under different circumstances, e.g., lunchtime, recess, and during assemblies.
11.5 A record of fire drills conducted at the building will be maintained in the building administrator’s office.
11.6 The school district will have prearranged assembly points for emergency sheltering and transportation as needed.
11.7 The school district will determine which staff will remain in the building to perform essential functions if safe to do so (e.g., switchboard, building engineer, etc.). The school district also will designate an administrator or his or her designee to meet local fire or law enforcement agents upon their arrival.
12. Active Shooter Drills
12.1 Definitions
12.1.1 "Active shooter drill" means an emergency preparedness drill designed to teach students, teachers, school personnel, and staff how to respond in the event of an armed intruder on campus or an armed assailant in the immediate vicinity of the school. An active shooter drill is not an active shooter simulation, nor may an active shooter drill include any sensorial components, activities, or elements which mimic a real life shooting.
12.1.2."Active shooter simulation" means an emergency exercise including full-scale or functional exercises, designed to teach adult school personnel and staff how to respond in the event of an armed intruder on campus or an armed assailant in the immediate vicinity of the school which also incorporates sensorial components, activities, or elements mimicking a real life shooting. Activities or elements mimicking a real life shooting include, but are not limited to, simulation of tactical response by law enforcement. An active shooter simulation is not an active shooter drill.
12.1.3 "Evidence-based" means a program or practice that demonstrates any of the following:
12.1.3.1 a statistically significant effect on relevant outcomes based on any of the following:
12.1.3.1.1 strong evidence from one or more well designed and well implemented experimental studies;
12.1.3.1.2. moderate evidence from one or more well designed and well implemented quasi-experimental studies; or
12.1.3.1.3 promising evidence from one or more well designed and well implemented correlational studies with statistical controls for selection bias.
12.1.3.2 a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluations that the program or practice is likely to improve relevant outcomes, including the ongoing efforts to examine the effects of the program or practice.
12.1.4 "Full-scale exercise" means an operations-based exercise that is typically the most complex and resource-intensive of the exercise types and often involves multiple agencies, jurisdictions, organizations, and real-time movement of resources.
12.1.5."Functional exercises" means an operations-based exercise designed to assess and evaluate capabilities and functions while in a realistic, real-time environment, however, movement of resources is usually simulated.
12.2 Criteria - An active shooter drill conducted according to Minnesota Statutes, section 121A.037 with students in early childhood through grade 12 must be:
12.2.1 accessible;
12.2.2 developmentally appropriate and age appropriate, including using appropriate safety language and vocabulary;
12.2.3 culturally aware;
12.2.4 trauma-informed; and
12.2.5 inclusive of accommodations for students with mobility restrictions, sensory needs, developmental or physical disabilities, mental health needs, and auditory or visual limitations.
12.3. Student Well-Being
Active shooter drill protocols must include a reasonable amount of time immediately following the drill for teachers to debrief with their students. The opportunity to debrief must be provided to students before regular classroom activity may resume. During the debrief period, students must be allowed to access any student support services available on campus, including counselors, school psychologists, social workers, or cultural liaisons. An active shooter drill must not be combined or conducted consecutively with any other type of emergency preparedness drill. An active shooter drill must be accompanied by an announcement prior to commencing. The announcement must use concise and age-appropriate language and, at a minimum, inform students there is no immediate danger to life and safety.
12.4. Notice
12.4.1 The school district must provide notice of a pending active shooter drill to every student's parent or legal guardian before an active shooter drill is conducted. Whenever practicable, notice must be provided at least 24 hours in advance of a pending active shooter drill and inform the parent or legal guardian of the right to opt their student out of participating.
12.4.2 If a student is opted out of participating in an active shooter drill, no negative consequence must impact the student's general school attendance record nor may nonparticipation alone make a student ineligible to participate in or attend school activities.
12.4.3 Alternative safety education will be available for students who are opted out of participating or otherwise exempted from an active shooter drill. Alternative safety education must provide essential safety instruction through less sensorial safety training methods and must be appropriate for students with mobility restrictions, sensory needs, developmental or physical disabilities, mental health needs, and auditory or visual limitations.
12.5 Participation in Active Shooter Drills - Any student in early childhood through grade 12 must not be required to participate in an active shooter drill that does not meet the Criteria set forth above.
12.6 Active Shooter Simulations - A student must not be required to participate in an active shooter simulation. An active shooter simulation must not take place during regular school hours if a majority of students are present, or expected to be present, at the school. The District will comply with state law regarding notice and participation in any simulations.
12.7 Violence Prevention
12.7.1 A school conducting an active shooter drill must provide students in middle school and high school at least one hour, or one standard class period, of violence prevention training annually.
12.7.2 The violence prevention training must be evidence-based and may be delivered in-person, virtually, or digitally. Training must, at a minimum, teach students the following:
12.7.2.1 How to identify observable warning signs and signals of an individual who may be at risk of harming oneself or others;
12.7.2.2 The importance of taking threats seriously and seeking help; and
12.7.2.3 The steps to report dangerous, violent, threatening, harmful, or potentially harmful activity, including providing information about the Department of Public Safety's statewide anonymous threat reporting system and any local threat reporting systems.
12.7.3 Students will have the opportunity to contribute to their school's safety and violence prevention planning, aligned with the recommendations for multihazard planning for schools, including but not limited to:
12.7.3.1student opportunities for leadership related to prevention and safety;
12.7.3.2encouragement and support to students in establishing clubs and programs focused on safety; and
12.7.3.3providing students with the opportunity to seek help from adults and to learn about prevention connected to topics including bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and suicide.
12.8 Board Meeting - At a regularly scheduled school board meeting, a school board of a district that has conducted an active shooter drill must consider the following
12.8.1 The effect of active shooter drills on the safety of students and staff; and
12.8.2 The effect of active shooter drills on the well-being of students and staff.
13. Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention Procedures
The District 196 Crisis Recovery Team (CRT) is an integrated, district-level group of student support services staff—including school counselors, psychologists, and social workers—who are trained to provide psychological triage and intervention following a crisis event. Activated by the Student Support Coordinator based on demonstrated need rather than the specific type of crisis, the team provides evidence-based supports such as individual intervention support and psychoeducational classroom sessions. CRT members work collaboratively with building-level teams (BERT) to conduct primary, secondary, and tertiary triage, ensuring that students are screened for trauma and linked to appropriate mental health resources while restoring stability to the school environment.
13.1 An administrator will meet with the Student Support Coordinator to determine the level of intervention needed for students and staff.
13.2 Specific rooms will be designated as private counseling areas.
13.3 Escorts for students to access CRT support in the designated private counseling areas shall be provided as needed.
13.4 Media will be prohibited from interviewing or questioning students or staff.
13.5 CRT members will ensure follow-up and/or referral services for students and staff who have accessed support and have a demonstrated need.
13.6 Fading of on-site CRT supports as the resumption of pre-crisis levels of school functioning is expected.
14. Long-Term Recovery Intervention Procedures - Long-term recovery intervention procedures may involve both short-term and long-term recovery planning including:
14.1 Physical/structural recovery.
14.2 Fiscal recovery.
14.3 Academic recovery.
14.4 Social/emotional recovery.
15. Emergency Communications
15.1 Each building will maintain a current list of emergency telephone numbers and the names and addresses of local, county, and state personnel who may be involved in a crisis situation. The list may include telephone numbers for local police, fire, ambulance, hospital, the Poison Control Center, county and state emergency management agencies, local public works departments, local utility companies, the public health nurse, mental health/suicide hotlines, and the county welfare agency. A copy of this list will be kept on file in the school district office, and will be updated annually.
15.2 School district employees will receive training on how to place emergency calls, including 911 calls, when the school district’s main telephone number and location is electronically conveyed to emergency personnel instead of the specific building in need of emergency services.
15.3 School district plans will set forth a process to internally communicate an emergency, including using telephones in classrooms, intercom systems, or two-way radios, as well as the procedure to enable the staff to rapidly convey emergency information to a building designee. Each plan will identify a primary and secondary method of communication for both internal and secondary use. It is recommended that the plan include several methods of communication because computers, intercoms, telephones, and cell phones may not be operational or may be dangerous to use during an emergency.
15.4 The school district shall maintain a warning system designed to inform students, staff, and visitors of a crisis or emergency. This system shall be maintained on a regular basis under the maintenance plan for all school buildings. The school district should consider an alternate notification system to address the needs of staff and students with special needs, such as vision or hearing. The building administrator shall be responsible for informing students and employees of the warning system and the means by which the system is used to identify a specific crisis or emergency situation. Each school’s building-specific crisis management plan will include the method and frequency of dissemination of the warning system information to students and employees.
15.5 In the event of a major crisis covered by the media during the school day, a trauma-informed approach includes limiting both the physical and emotional crisis exposure, to the extent possible. To reduce trauma exposure, the following developmental considerations are provided for staff considering whether or not they should be facilitating media access of a crisis event for students:
15.5.1 Elementary students should not be permitted to view television or other media covering the event.
15.5.2 Middle school students may be permitted to see televisions and media for a relatively short time; and
15.5.3 High school students may be permitted to see televisions and media throughout the day to observe and discuss the situation.
16. Community Communications
All schools shall include security/safety information in student, parent and staff newsletters, handbooks and other publications. The superintendent has the authority and discretion to notify parents or guardians and the school community in the event of a crisis. The superintendent will designate a spokesperson who will notify the media in the event of a crisis. The spokesperson shall ensure that the district is in compliance with federal and state law relative to the release of private data when conveying information to the media.
17. Background Checks
The school district must perform criminal history background checks on everyone offered employment in the district, including all volunteer athletic and cocurricular coaches. The district exercises discretion when requiring background checks on selected other volunteer student and independent contractors considering such factors as the amount and duration of student contact. The district does not perform background checks on the staff or volunteers of outside clubs and organizations that offer activities for youth in the community that are not organized or operated by the district.
References:
● Minnesota Statute Ch. 12, Emergency Management
● Minnesota Statute Ch. 12A, Natural Disaster; State Assistance
● Minnesota Statute 121A.035, Crisis Management Policy
● Minnesota Statute 121A.038, Students Safe at School
● Minnesota Statute 121A.06, Reports of Dangerous Weapon Incidents in School Zones
● Minnesota Statute 121A.37, School Safety Drills
● Minnesota Statute 123B.03, Background check
● Minnesota Statute 299F.30, Fire Drill in School; Doors and Exits
● Minnesota Statute 326B.02, Subd. 6, Powers
● Minnesota Statute 326B.106, General Powers of Commissioner of Labor and Industry
● Minnesota Statute 609.605, Subd. 4, Trespasses
● Minn. Rules Ch. 7511, Fire Code
● 20 U.S.C. 1681, et seq., Title IX
● 20 U.S.C. 6301, et seq., Every Student Succeeds Act
● 20 U.S.C. 7912, Unsafe School Choice Option
● 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq., Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
● MSBA/MASA Model Policy 806, Crisis Management Policy
● Comprehensive School Safety Guide, Minnesota School Safety Center - Resources (mn.gov)
● I Love U Guys Foundation, Standard Response Protocol, https://iloveuguys.org/The-Standard-Response-Protocol.html (012325)
● Safe and Sound Schools, https://safeandsoundschools.org/ (012325)