Illinois school drill law

What drills does Illinois require?

The School Safety Drill Act (105 ILCS 128) requires all schools in Illinois, public and private, to hold the drills it lists. Drills must be held at each school building that houses students.

Schools may add evacuation drills for other incidents, such as suspicious items or bomb threats. This is allowed, not required. Schools may also add severe weather and shelter-in-place drills for earthquakes or hazardous materials. Since January 1, 2026, the incidents a school evacuation drill may address also include the release or explosion of hazardous substances. Every drill must be designed to meet the objectives set out in the state's drill rule (29 Ill. Adm. Code 1500).

Who is covered?

The Act defines a "school" as a public or private facility offering elementary or secondary education to students under 21. "School district" includes charter schools authorized by the State Board of Education. Private schools that never use a bus to transport students are exempt from the bus drill. The bus evacuation drill must be part of the curriculum in all public schools.

How must fire officials take part?

One of the three fire evacuation drills must include the local fire department or fire district. The fire department must contact the school administrator by September 1 each year. By September 15, the administrator must propose four dates in October, across at least two different weeks. After taking part, the local fire official certifies that the drill was held.

What fire code applies?

The State Fire Marshal's rule adopts NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code (2015 edition), in its entirety, subject to Illinois's own changes. For private schools in jurisdictions that are neither home rule nor 100.3(g) compliant, the State Fire Marshal says the applicable code is NFPA 101 (2015), Chapters 14 and 15, which cover new and existing educational buildings. Under NFPA 101 (2015), which Illinois adopts in 41 Ill. Adm. Code 100.7(b), both the chapter for new educational buildings (§ 14.7.2.3(1)) and the chapter for existing ones (§ 15.7.2.3(1)) require at least one emergency egress (evacuation) drill every month the school is in session, unless both severe-weather conditions below are met. Under both sections, those monthly drills may be put off only when both conditions are met: the school is in a climate where the weather is severe, and at least four drills were held before the drills are put off, with the full required number still held. Chicago (Article 34) school districts, and the charter schools inside them, are subject only to the sprinkler section (Section 180.250) of the state's school building code, 23 Ill. Adm. Code 180.

What are the rules for lockdown drills?

The lockdown drill must be held on days and at times when students are normally in the building. Local law enforcement must take part on site and observe the drill. If the school and the agency cannot agree on a date, the school still holds the drill without them. The participating officer certifies the drill was held and tells the school of any problems found. All lockdown drills must be announced in advance to staff and students. Lockdown drills must not include simulations that mimic an actual school shooting or active shooter event. Law enforcement may run an active shooter simulation, including simulated gunfire, only on school days when students are not present. Lockdown drill content must be age appropriate and developmentally appropriate, and lockdown drills must include trauma-informed approaches that address the concerns and well-being of students and staff. Lockdown drills must include and involve school staff, including school-based mental health professionals. Students must be allowed to ask questions about the drill during it.

Can students be excused, and must parents be told?

Administrators or school support staff may, at their discretion, exempt students from the lockdown drill. For a walk-through lockdown drill, the student's IEP or Section 504 plan team must be part of the decision to exempt that student. Schools must notify parents and guardians in advance of any walk-through lockdown drill that involves students, and give them a chance to exempt their child for any reason. Students who do not take part in a walk-through lockdown drill must get other active-threat safety instruction.

What must schools review and report?

Each public school district must hold at least one meeting a year to review every building's emergency and crisis response plans. That review covers how well the law enforcement drills worked and each building's drill compliance, plus records and results of required and optional drills. The board sends the review report to each party that took part and to the regional superintendent of schools. Regional superintendents send an annual school safety review compliance report to ISBE by October 1 each year. ISBE accepts one-page annual review compliance reports directly from private schools.

What has changed recently?

Since January 1, 2026, districts must train substitute staff on evacuation drills and law enforcement lockdown drills. SB0071 (P.A. 104-344) amended Sections 5, 10, 15 and 25 of the Act and added a Section 65. Under that new Section 65, each school district must develop procedures for each of its schools to handle the release or explosion of a hazardous substance by July 1, 2027, working with the local emergency planning committee or emergency services and disaster agency. A district does not have to develop those procedures until the school year after the state's guidance is posted on the State Board of Education's website. The state's drill rule, 29 Ill. Adm. Code 1500, lists only its 2006 adoption in its source note, with no amendment or emergency rule since. Starting July 1, 2027, P.A. 104-759 requires school districts to hold a cardiac response drill each year to practice their cardiac emergency response plan. From January 1, 2027, under Alyssa's Law, any mobile panic alert system a school deploys must be tested at least once a year with the 911 center (PSAP) and first responders. HB5320 would require schools to offer a trauma-informed discussion forum for students, parents and staff after a lockdown drill. Its last recorded action, on March 27, 2026, re-referred it to the Rules Committee, and nothing has happened since (checked October 27, 2026). SB2948, a Senate mobile panic alert (Alyssa's Alert) bill that would amend the Act, was re-referred to the Senate Assignments Committee on March 27, 2026, with no action since (checked October 27, 2026).