Massachusetts school drill law

What drills does Massachusetts require?

Massachusetts statute requires school bus riders to take part in at least two on-bus evacuation drills each school year. School building fire drills come from the state fire code, 527 CMR 1.00, which requires the fire chief or a designee to visit each school at least four times a year to run fire drills.

How must fire drills be run?

The fire department runs these drills without warning to school staff, other than the person in charge of the school at the time, and questions teachers and supervisors. Every student must be told the fire drill procedure, or take part in a fire drill, within three days of entering the school. State guidance from the Department of Fire Services strongly recommends that students take part in a full exit drill within those first three days. State Fire Marshal and DESE guidance for 2025-2026 says the four fire department visits should preferably be two to three months apart. This is guidance; the fire code sets only the count. Fire drills must include the complete evacuation of all occupants from the building. Drills must be designed in cooperation with local authorities. The responsible school official must write a fire evacuation plan with alternate exits, and the fire chief must approve it. A drill of the school's multi-hazard evacuation plan may count as one of the required fire drills. Massachusetts deletes part of the national model fire code's school drill rules (NFPA 1 §§ 20.2.4.2.2 through 20.2.4.2.3).

Must parents be told, and are there limits on realistic drills?

The fire code's school drill rule (527 CMR 1.00 § 20.2.4.2.1.4) sets no parent notice for fire drills; its only notice rule is that drills are run without advance warning to school staff other than the person in charge. The same rule sets no limits on realistic drill elements, such as simulated gunfire or role-played attackers, and no opt-outs. State guidance warns that posting a drill's date and time publicly could let someone use the drill to do harm. The guidance also says drills should be explained and run with consideration and sensitivity. This is guidance, not a rule.

What records and reports are required?

Schools must keep a record of all fire drills on site and file written reports with the fire chief at least twice a year.

Who is covered?

The fire code's school section applies to new and existing educational buildings. The bus drills apply to students who ride a school bus. The medical and behavioral health emergency plan duty falls on school committees and commonwealth charter school boards, for every school they oversee. Charter schools must operate under the provisions of law that regulate other public schools, and must follow all applicable state and federal health and safety laws and regulations.

What about approved special education schools?

The state's special education school rule, 603 CMR 18.00, covers day and residential special education schools run by public and private entities that serve publicly funded students. These schools must plan evacuation drills that actually evacuate students to safe areas at least twice a year on each shift. They must also hold emergency drills for staff at least quarterly, under varied conditions. They must keep a written log of each evacuation drill, covering the date, time elapsed, the students and staff who took part, and any witnesses. They must take special care to help all students understand the nature of evacuation drills, and make special provisions for evacuating students with mobility impairments. The current 603 CMR 18.00 text reflects amendments adopted in June 2025 that took effect August 17, 2026.

What is the multi-hazard evacuation plan?

As quoted by the Department of Fire Services, a 2000 session law requires each superintendent, before the school year starts, to meet with the fire chief and police chief to write a multi-hazard evacuation plan for each school. Students must be taught the plan at the start of each school year. Each district must review the plan every year with help from local police and fire departments. State Fire Marshal guidance, repeated in the 2025-2026 school fire safety memo, says lockdown plans can be folded into this plan and practiced as one of the four required drills a year. This is guidance, not a separate lockdown requirement.

What about medical and behavioral health emergencies?

Each school must have a written emergency response plan for medical and behavioral health crises, in addition to the multi-hazard evacuation plan. Schools must practice the response sequence at the start of each school year and periodically during the year. School officials must review the response sequence with local fire and police officials at least once a year. The plans go to DESE (the state education department) and local police and fire departments every three years, by September 1 of the third year. Students who ride a school bus must also get classroom instruction in safe riding at least three times each school year.

What bills have been filed?

H.710 (2025-2026), a bill to set up mandatory school emergency response drills, was referred to the Joint Committee on Education. As of October 27, 2026, H.710 still sits in that committee; its last recorded action, on July 10, 2025, scheduled a hearing for July 21, 2025. It has not been enacted. H.710 would require each school to hold at least 2 emergency response drills and 1 safety lesson for students and staff each school year, during the regular school day. It is a bill, not law. It would cover every public and private elementary and secondary school, not colleges or universities. H.749 (2025-2026), a bill requiring critical incident drills in schools, was reported favorably and referred to House Ways and Means. As of October 27, 2026, H.749 sits in House Ways and Means; its last action, on September 25, 2025, was that referral. It has not been enacted. H.749 would require the police chief or a designee to visit each school at least twice a year to run critical incident drills. It is a bill, not law. Under the Legislature's joint rules, formal business of the 2026 session had to end by July 31, 2026, with limited exceptions.