Indiana school drill law

What drills does Indiana require?

School corporations and charter school organizers must require each of their schools to hold periodic emergency preparedness drills during the school year, following State Board rules.

Governing bodies and charter organizers may direct schools to hold more drills than the law requires. This is allowed, not required.

Who is covered?

The semester drills apply to each school and attendance center run by a school corporation or charter organizer. State accredited nonpublic schools and charter schools must each hold at least one armed intruder drill every school year. Charter schools and state accredited nonpublic schools must also adopt a local safety and emergency plan that includes periodic safety, emergency preparedness and evacuation drills.

What about fire drills?

Indiana's fire code rule (675 IAC 22-2.5-1) adopts the 2012 International Fire Code by reference, with Indiana's own amendments. In the 2026 Indiana Administrative Code, the newest fire code rule listed is Rule 2.5, the 2014 Indiana Fire Code. The adopted 2012 International Fire Code sets fire and evacuation drills for schools (Group E) at monthly, with all occupants taking part. Under that code, the first evacuation drill of each school year must be held within 10 days of the start of classes. In severe climates, the fire code official has the authority to change the school evacuation drill frequency. The State Fire Marshal's review sheet for the 2014 Indiana Fire Code gives the same monthly count: schools (Group E occupancies) must hold emergency evacuation drills monthly for all occupants. The same review sheet also gives the 10-day rule for the first drill of the school year. Per the review sheet, drills must be held at unexpected times and under varying conditions. Per the review sheet, the fire code official must be notified before evacuation drills, and records of required evacuation drills must be kept. A tornado or manmade occurrence drill may count in place of a fire marshal-required fire evacuation drill. No more than two fire drills a semester may be replaced this way, and not in two consecutive months.

What limits apply to armed intruder drills?

An armed intruder drill with "sensory components" (simulated gunfire, simulated wounds, prop firearms, pellet guns, or police with drawn firearms) may not require students to take part. Such a drill also may not take place during regular school hours if most of the student body is present. State and local school safety officials must give each safe school committee guidelines for a school policy that considers the effect of armed intruder drills on the safety and mental health of students and staff.

What about school bus drills?

Indiana law directs the state school bus committee to adopt rules requiring school bus drivers to hold a passenger evacuation drill at least once each semester. Under that rule, every school bus driver must hold a passenger evacuation drill at least once a semester. Each drill must take two minutes or less and be held within 45 school days of the start of each semester. By the end of each school year, a school corporation's or private school's bus drills must have used all emergency exit doors and the service door, and included one drill in which the driver does not direct the evacuation. Each school corporation or private school must report its bus evacuation drill documentation to the Department of Education by June 30 each year.

What must the school safety plan cover?

Each school corporation must develop a school safety plan, in consultation with the law enforcement agency and fire department that cover the school building. The plan must cover all of the state's drill requirements. Its armed intruder drill protocol must give parents or guardians advance notice of a drill. The protocol must also provide accommodations for students with mobility, sensory, hearing or vision needs, alternative exercises for students who cannot take part, and access to mental health services on school grounds after a drill.

Who signs off that drills were held?

Each principal must file a certified statement that all required drills were held. The statute names no agency to receive that statement and sets no deadline for it; it only requires the governing body or charter organizer to have each principal file one. The official 2026 Administrative Code notes that the older State Board rule article, 511 IAC 6.1, stayed in effect only until new rules were adopted or July 1, 2021, whichever came first.

What has changed recently?

HEA 1104 (2024) required school safety plans to include an armed intruder drill protocol, and added the limits on sensory components (P.L.135-2024). The drill section was last amended in 2024; the Indiana Code 2026 edition shows no 2025 or 2026 change to it. A 2025 amendment (P.L.238-2025) changed who may inspect a school safety plan: it must now be available to the Department of Homeland Security's office of school safety. Before that change, the plan had to be available to the Department of Education's division of school building physical security and safety.