Vermont school drill law

Which drills does Vermont require, and how often?

Each school board in a district that runs a school must adopt a policy requiring every school site to hold options-based response drills (drills that practice more than one way to respond to a threat) in the fall and spring of each school year. The policy must require age-appropriate options-based response drills, including fire drills, run under guidance from the Vermont School Safety Center and the Vermont School Crisis Planning Team. Approved or recognized independent schools, and other educational institutions other than colleges, must adopt a policy requiring options-based response drills and fire drills in the fall and spring. Each student who rides a school bus must take part in emergency evacuation drills at least twice each school year.

The drill statute, 16 V.S.A. § 1481, names only options-based response drills and fire drills; it sets no severe weather, tornado, earthquake, shelter-in-place or reunification drill.

What do the fire code and the 2026-27 drill guidance say?

The 2025 Vermont Fire & Building Safety Code says school egress and relocation drills follow the state's annual Drill Guidance memo. Under NFPA 101 (2021), which is on Vermont's Division of Fire Safety list of adopted codes, the school drill sections (§ 14.7.2.1 for new buildings, § 15.7.2.1 for existing ones) require emergency egress drills held under the code's drill rules. Neither of those two sections names a lockdown drill. Where the authority having jurisdiction (the official who enforces the code) permits it, up to two of those egress drills may instead be alternative drills for targeted violence events, natural hazard events, or both. This is allowed, not required. The 2026-27 guidance from the Agency of Education (AOE) lists ten required drills: six egress and/or relocation drills, two options-based violent intruder drills and two bus evacuation drills. The guidance says schools are required to complete two age-appropriate, trauma-informed options-based violent intruder drills each school year, one per semester. Under the guidance, egress drills must be started with the building's fire alarm and must fully evacuate the building to a set location. The guidance says all building occupants, including students and staff, must take part in drills.

What records and reports are required?

The superintendent must report completion of the twice-yearly drills to the Agency of Education. The head of an independent school must also report completion of the twice-yearly drills to the Agency of Education. AOE's drill page says all drills for 2026-27 must be reported no later than June 30, 2027. The guidance asks schools not to report bus drills to AOE, because the Department of Motor Vehicles manages them. Under the guidance, a log of completed egress and evacuation drills must be kept on site and shown to Division of Fire Safety inspectors on request. Each year, the Vermont School Safety Center and AOE must review the drill reports and ensure compliance. A school district, independent school or institution whose administrators neglect the drill law can be fined up to $500.

Do parents get notice?

Parents and guardians must be notified no later than one school day before an options-based response drill. For egress and relocation drills, the guidance recommends a general notice to parents several days ahead, without the exact date. This is a recommendation, not a requirement.

What limits apply to realistic drills?

The state drill guidance must include trauma-informed best practices for options-based response drills.

Do first responders take part?

Each school's emergency operations plan must be reviewed and updated every year together with local emergency first responders and emergency management officials. The guidance says schools should work with local emergency response teams, including on tabletop and practice exercises.

What about cardiac emergency drills?

The state's emergency operations plan template must address required staff CPR and AED training and practice drills on the cardiac response plan. Those cardiac provisions took effect July 1, 2026, under 2025 Act No. 72.

Who is covered?

Public schools: each school board in a district that runs a school. Private schools: each approved or recognized independent school, and other educational institutions other than colleges and universities. Bus drills apply to every student who rides a school bus.

What changed recently?

The current drill law, 16 V.S.A. § 1481, comes from 2023 Act No. 29, effective August 1, 2023. Its history note lists no later amendment, and the online statutes include the actions of the 2026 session, so no 2025 or 2026 act changed it. The bus evacuation drill rule, 23 V.S.A. § 1285, has not been amended since it was added in 1975. A 2026 bill on independent schools, S.273, included an amended version of the independent-school drill rule, § 1481(b). It was referred to the Senate Committee on Education on January 20, 2026, with no further action. The Senate adjourned sine die (ended the session for good) on May 29, 2026, with no further action on S.273. The 2025 Vermont Fire & Building Safety Code took effect November 4, 2025. Vermont's adopted codes include the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, 2021 edition.