Delaware school drill law

Which drills does Delaware require, and how often?

Every Delaware public school must hold a fire drill at least once every month while school is in session. Each board of education must make sure its schools meet the monthly fire drill requirement. Each school and district must hold at least 2 lockdown/intruder drills per school year and at least 1 tabletop exercise (a discussion-based walk-through of an emergency) every year. That provision, 29 Del. C. § 8237(f)(1), names only those two exercise types; it sets no severe weather, earthquake, shelter-in-place or reunification drill. The Department of Education's old emergency preparedness regulation, 14 DE Admin Code 621, sets no drill or notice rule of its own; its only text says the Omnibus School Safety Act replaces it.

What does the state fire code add?

The State Fire Prevention Regulations require fire drills at least once a month in buildings whose main use is educational. In those buildings, fire drills must include complete evacuation of everyone in the building. Fire drills may be postponed during severe weather. This is allowed, not required.

Do drills need to be logged or reported?

Those in charge of the school building must keep a written record on site of every fire drill, with its time and date. Fire drill records must be shown to the State Fire Marshal on request and kept for three years, not counting the current year. After any exercise, including the lockdown/intruder drills and tabletop exercises, a school or district must send the Department of Safety and Homeland Security proof of the exercise and proposed updates to its Comprehensive School Safety Plan. That department reviews and certifies the safety plans that schools and districts submit.

What role do law enforcement and first responders play?

Schools and districts must run the lockdown/intruder drills and tabletop exercises together with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security and any relevant first responders. The exercises must include appropriate members of the school safety team, first responders and other stakeholders.

Must parents be told about drills?

The lockdown/intruder drill and tabletop exercise provision, 29 Del. C. § 8237(f), sets no parent notice requirement; it requires schools to run the exercises with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security and first responders and to send that department proof afterward.

What are the school bus drill rules?

The Department of Education's transportation rule places bus duties on local school districts and charter schools. They must give evacuation instruction to all school bus riders and hold two bus evacuation drills each year, one before October 31 and one before May 31.

Who is covered?

The monthly fire drill statute covers every public school. The lockdown/intruder drill and tabletop exercise duties cover public schools, including charter schools. The bus drill rule covers local school districts and charter schools. The fire code drill rule applies to buildings whose main use is educational.

What has changed recently?

The official history of 29 Del. C. § 8237 lists no amendment after 80 Del. Laws, c. 377, so the lockdown/intruder drill and tabletop duties were not changed in 2025 or 2026. The official history of the monthly fire drill statute, 14 Del. C. § 4109, lists no amendment after 81 Del. Laws, c. 122, so it was not changed in 2025 or 2026 either.