Pennsylvania school drill law

What drills does Pennsylvania require, and how often?

Pennsylvania requires each school entity (school districts, charter and regional charter schools, intermediate units and area career and technical schools) to hold one school security drill per school year in each building within 90 days of the start of the year, in place of a required fire drill. After the first 90 days, a school entity may hold two school security drills a year in each building in place of two fire drills. This is allowed, not required. A school security drill is a planned exercise, other than a fire or natural disaster drill, to practice responding to an emergency such as terrorism, an armed intruder or another violent threat. Separately, Section 1518 of the School Code says drills that train students to leave school buildings quickly, without confusion or panic, shall be held at least once a month when schools are in session. School entities that use or contract for school buses must hold two bus evacuation drills on school grounds each school year.

What are the drill rules?

Each fire drill must include actually using the fire escapes and exits and fully moving students and teachers to a safe place outside. The school security drill must be held while school is in session and students are present. The chief school administrator or a designee must oversee teaching students and school employees the security drill procedures. The first bus evacuation drill must be held in the first week of the first school term, and the second in March.

Do parents and police have to be told?

Before a school security drill, the chief school administrator must notify the local law enforcement agency and emergency management agency and ask them for help. Parents and guardians of students in that building must get notice of the school security drill in advance.

Do drills have to be reported?

By April 10 each year, the chief school administrator must certify to the Department of Education that the required emergency evacuation drills and school security drills were held. Department guidance, which it says is not binding, describes how to report:

• each school security drill reported in PIMS (the state's student data system) by April 10
• the date of each monthly fire drill reported in PIMS by July 31 after the school year ends
• a signed accuracy certification sent to the Office for Safe Schools within 30 days of each PIMS report
• no fire drill report needed for months when school is in session fewer than seven days
• school bus evacuation drills reported through PIMS, with the required information due by April 10 each year
• each fall, the Department posts on its public website a list of school entities that did not meet the drill reporting requirements for the previous school year

The same guidance says schools not required by law to keep fire escapes, extinguishers and exits may not have to hold fire drills, but are strongly encouraged to.

What staff training is required?

School employees' yearly safety training must cover emergency training drills, including fire, natural disaster, active shooter, hostage situation and bomb threat. That drill training must be given in person.

What happens if a school doesn't comply?

Violating or failing to follow the drill section is a misdemeanor (a minor criminal offense).

Who's covered?

The drill section covers area career and technical schools, school districts, intermediate units, charter schools and regional charter schools. That definition of "school entity" does not name cyber charter schools, so § 1517's fire, security and bus drill duties do not list them. Cyber charter schools are made subject to § 1518, the monthly emergency exit drill section, by the cyber charter school law. State Board rules require licensed private academic schools to comply with School Code § 1518, which includes the monthly emergency exit drills. Those schools must also have a written emergency evacuation plan and hold monthly fire drills. These private academic school rules do not reach religious nonpublic nonlicensed schools or schools accredited by an association the State Board of Education approves; the definition of private academic school leaves them out.

What about the fire code?

Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code adopts the 2021 International Fire Code only to the extent other adopted building codes reference it.

What has changed recently?

The drill section was amended by Act 55 of 2017, and the opening of the security drill rule by Act 39 of 2018. Act 17 of 2026 requires school entities and nonpublic schools that take part in interscholastic athletics to have a cardiac emergency response plan. That plan must require yearly sudden cardiac arrest drills, with or without students taking part. School entities and nonpublic schools have until three years after section 6 of Act 17 of 2026 takes effect to comply with the new cardiac plan rules. Act 17 took effect on approval, May 13, 2026, so the deadline for the cardiac plan and its yearly sudden cardiac arrest drills is May 13, 2029. HB 823 (2025-2026), which would amend § 1517's school security drill rules, was referred to the House Education Committee on March 6, 2025 and has had no further action; as of October 27, 2026 it is still in committee and has not passed either chamber. As introduced, HB 823 would bar props, actors, simulations and other tactics meant to mimic violence or another emergency from school security drills. It would also require parent notice of a school security drill at least seven days in advance. It has not passed.