Connecticut school drill law

Which drills does Connecticut require, and how often?

Each local and regional board of education must hold fire drills in its schools. The first fire drill must be held within 30 days after the first day of each school year, then at least once each month after that, except for the crisis response drill swap. Once every three months, each board must hold a crisis response drill in place of a fire drill.

What does the state fire code add?

Connecticut's 2022 State Fire Safety Code adopts the 2021 International Fire Code, with Connecticut's changes, as Part III of the code. Under that adopted code, the drill table sets a monthly fire and evacuation drill for educational (Group E) buildings, with all students and staff in the building taking part. Connecticut changes the code's Group E entry only for day care facilities; the educational group that covers schools through 12th grade is left as published. In severe weather, the fire code official may change how often those evacuation drills are held. The code requires lockdown drills to follow the approved lockdown plan, and says they may not replace the required fire and evacuation drills, except as the code's school drill section, 403.4.1, provides.

What changed in 2026?

Public Act 26-1 (2026 SB 298) rewrote the drill statute, effective July 1, 2026. The Governor approved the act on March 3, 2026. The Governor line-item vetoed only sections 5A, 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13 of SB 298, so the drill sections (44 to 46) became law; the last action was transmittal to the Secretary of State on May 15, 2026. No 2025 act changed the drill statute: the 2026 Supplement to the General Statutes, which carries the 2025 session's changes, lists no amended § 10-231 or § 10-222n. Each board must now develop the crisis response drill format in line with the act's new crisis response protocols and with the appropriate local law enforcement agency. By April 1, 2027, the Connecticut Center for School Safety and Crisis Prevention at Western Connecticut State University, with DESPP (the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection), must develop a clear definition for crisis response drills, among other tasks; the drill evaluation template also comes from this part of the act. By July 1, 2028, the Center has a further submission due under the act.

What rules apply to crisis response drills from 2027-28?

Starting with the school year that begins July 1, 2027, every board that holds a crisis response drill must make sure each drill meets the new protocols below. Drills must be trauma-informed, using an approach that takes prior traumatic experiences into account. Mental health professionals must take part throughout each drill. The school security and safety committee must plan drills with the school climate committee, putting students' and staff's physical and psychological safety first. Students and staff must be told at the start that it is a drill, to avoid confusion with a real emergency. Students with cognitive, physical or sensory disabilities must get accommodations during the drill, to the extent practicable. Each drill must be evaluated using the state evaluation template.

What limits apply to realistic drills?

From 2027-28, a crisis response drill held with students may not include an active assailant simulation or simulated violence with highly sensory elements, such as fake attackers, firearms, gunfire sounds, blood or injuries. A drill held outside the regular school day only for school staff, first responders and volunteers may include such simulations. This is allowed, not required.

Must parents be told about drills?

From 2027-28, students, school staff and parents and guardians must be notified one week before each crisis response drill. Also from 2027-28, the notice must include a review of the purpose and procedures for crisis response drills before the first one of the school year. Also from 2027-28, staff must clearly explain the nature and purpose of crisis response drills to parents and guardians before holding one.

Do drills need to be reported?

The state school security and safety plan standards must require boards of education to report to DESPP every year on their fire drills and crisis response drills. Under the current standards (July 2025), each board of education must report to its DESPP/DEMHS Regional Coordinator by July 1 every year on the types, frequency and feedback of its fire drills and crisis response drills. The report uses the state template in Appendix 14 of the school security and safety plan templates.

What role does law enforcement play?

The board develops the crisis response drill format with the appropriate local law enforcement agency. A representative of that agency may supervise and take part in any crisis response drill. This is allowed, not required. The state safety plan standards must require local law enforcement and other local public safety officials to evaluate, score and give feedback on fire drills and crisis response drills.

Who is covered?

The drill duty falls on each local and regional board of education, for the schools of that board. Charter schools are subject to all federal and state laws governing public schools.

Are there state regulations on drills?

The State Board of Education has no regulations under the school safety plan law (§ 10-222n) or the school drill law (§ 10-231).

What happened to earlier bills?

2025 HB 7077, An Act Concerning Crisis Response Drills, was reported favorably and tabled for the House calendar. 2025 HB 5662, An Act Requiring Monthly Crisis Response Drills, was referred to the Joint Committee on Education, with no further action listed. The 30-day deadline for the first fire drill dates from P.A. 09-131.