Minnesota school drill law

What drills does Minnesota require?

Minnesota law requires each school board and charter school to adopt a crisis management policy that includes at least five lockdown drills, five fire drills and one tornado drill. Private schools and other educational institutions not covered by that law must have the same drills.

The crisis management policy must be developed with parents, law enforcement agencies, emergency management officials, emergency medical responders and others. The education commissioner must keep a model crisis management policy, including lockdown and tornado drills, available to school boards and charter schools.

Who is covered?

Public school districts and charter schools, through their crisis management policies. Private schools and educational institutions not covered by the district law. The fire drill law covers public and private schools and educational institutions.

What about fire drills and records?

The State Fire Marshal must require public and private schools to hold at least five fire drills each school year. The person in charge of a school with 20 or more students must train students to leave quickly in a fire or other emergency, through drills or rapid dismissals. Drill records must be posted where the State Fire Marshal can review them at any time, and must include the drill date and the time it took to evacuate. Minnesota's fire code rule adopts the 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) by reference, subject to Minnesota's amendments. That code requires emergency evacuation drills at the intervals in its Table 405.2, or more often where needed to familiarize everyone in the building with the drill. Table 405.2 sets drills for schools (Group E) at monthly, with all occupants taking part; in severe climates, the fire code official may change that frequency. Minnesota's only amendment to that section adds an employee-only exception for Group A and R-1 buildings and sets no school drill count. Under the same code, the first evacuation drill of each school year must be held within 10 days of the start of classes. Minnesota's only amendment to that part of the code deletes an unrelated subsection. The State Fire Marshal's drill record form repeats the 10-day rule, and adds that 2 more drills should be held by the Thanksgiving break. The Thanksgiving point is guidance. The same form says the completed record must be kept at the building for Fire Marshal review, and tells schools to hold one tornado drill during Severe Weather Awareness Week in the spring. The tornado week is guidance. The form also tells schools to hold two fire drills, one lockdown and one tornado drill in each summer school session. This is agency guidance on a form, not a statute or rule.

What about school bus drills and training?

Districts, and nonpublic schools whose students ride the bus at public expense, must hold a school bus evacuation drill at least once during the school year. Districts must give public school students in kindergarten through grade 10 age-appropriate school bus safety training, including bus evacuation. Bused students in kindergarten through grade 6 who enroll in the first or second week must get that training by the end of the third week of school. Students in kindergarten through grade 3 must get bus safety training twice during the school year. If the superintendent asks, the district's transportation safety director must certify that all bused students have had the training. If the local superintendent asks, the principal or chief administrator of a nonpublic school must certify to the district's transportation safety director that its students bused at public expense have had the training.

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

The crisis management policy law (§ 121A.035, subd. 2) sets no parent notice for drills, no requirement that law enforcement take part in drills, and no limits on how realistic drills may be. Parents and law enforcement help develop the policy itself. The private school drill law (§ 121A.037) sets only the drill counts, with no parent notice, law enforcement role or limits on drill realism. The fire drill law (§ 299F.30, subds. 1 and 2) sets the fire drill count, training and posted records, with no parent notice, no fire official or law enforcement role in drills, and no limits on drill realism.

What has changed recently?

The 2026 Session Laws' table of statutes new, amended or repealed in the 2026 regular session lists no change to §§ 121A.035, 121A.037, 299F.30 or 123B.90. The 2026 regular session adjourned on May 18, 2026, and the Legislative Reference Library lists no 2026 special session.

What bills have been filed?

HF 3485 (2026) would have required the crisis management policy to provide for students with disabilities, sensory needs and mental health needs. It was introduced and referred to the House Education Policy committee on February 19, 2026, and was not enacted. HF 5018 (2026), as introduced, would add a model school safety plan to the commissioner's model policy, leaving the drill counts unchanged.