Michigan school emergency plan law

What does Michigan require of school emergency plans?

MCL 380.1308b requires each school district, intermediate school district and public school academy (charter school) to develop an emergency operations plan for each school building it operates, with input from the public. The district or ISD board, or the academy's board of directors, must adopt the plan by majority vote of serving members at a public meeting. Adopting and carrying out a statewide school safety information policy under section 1308 that meets the same content list counts as meeting the plan requirement.

Who must have a plan?

The duty falls on school districts, intermediate school districts and public school academies, for each school building they operate. For this section, a school building includes a building used for instruction, including an addition, and a recreational or athletic structure or field used by students.

What must the plan contain?

The plan must include guidelines and procedures that address at least these topics:

MDE (Michigan Department of Education) encourages, but the statute does not require, more plan elements, such as safe evacuation and transport of students and staff with special needs, first aid, CPR and AED training for staff, and after-care with local mental health providers following an incident.

How often is the plan reviewed?

Beginning in 2019-2020 and at least every two years after, districts, ISDs and academies must review the plan with at least one law enforcement agency with jurisdiction. The review includes a review of the vulnerability assessment.

Is the plan submitted, and to whom?

Notice of plan adoption, and notice of each completed review, must go to the Department of Education within 30 days. An MDE memo from June 6, 2024, says the certification and submission form is in GEMS/MARS, titled "Emergency Operations Plan – PA 436 of 2018", and that districts must complete the electronic certification to assure MDE the biennial reviews took place.

How do schools work with police, fire and emergency management?

The biennial review must be done with at least one law enforcement agency with jurisdiction. School boards must work with local law enforcement so that building plans, blueprints or critical incident mapping data, and site plans for each school building reach the right local law enforcement agency. Critical incident mapping data must work with software used by public safety agencies, be checked for accuracy by a walk-through of the building and grounds, and include accurate floor plans laid over current aerial imagery. The school governing body must seek input from local public safety officials on the nature of its lockdown drills.

What training and drills go with the plan?

The plan must include a plan to train teachers on mental health and student and teacher safety. Under the Fire Prevention Code, which applies to all schools, a school with any of grades K-12 must hold at least 5 fire drills each school year, 3 of them by December 1, and at least 2 tornado safety drills, at least 1 in March. A K-12 school must hold at least 1 required drill during lunch, recess or another time when many students are gathered outside the classroom.

Is the plan confidential?

The plan, and the information given to MDE and the State Police about it, are confidential and exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. The drill schedule information given to emergency management is also exempt from FOIA.

How is it checked?

At least once a year, MDE must give the State Police Office of School Safety a list of districts, ISDs and academies that have not developed and adopted a plan. The Office of School Safety works with local law enforcement to notify the governing body of any district, ISD or academy without an adopted plan. The former School Aid Act school safety grant and safety assessment grant sections were repealed effective October 1, 2023.

What related duties apply?

The State Police must write rules setting standardized response terminology by July 1, 2026, and beginning with 2026-2027, public and nonpublic school governing bodies must adopt and use that terminology. The State Police say those rules are still under review by the legislature's rules committee and missed their expected September 15, 2026 final date. By October 1, 2026, each public and nonpublic school must have a behavior threat assessment and management team, under a separate statute from the plan.

What changed recently?

SB 495 of 2025 amended section 1308b and became Public Act 1 of 2026 with immediate effect, adding the wireless device protocol. MCL 380.1308b was last amended by 2026 PA 1, effective February 10, 2026. SB 495 was tie-barred to HB 4141, which the Governor approved February 10, 2026, as Public Act 2 of 2026, so the tie-bar was met. HB 4141 adds section 1303a to the Revised School Code and repeals section 1303. MCL 380.1308b was added by 2018 PA 436, effective March 21, 2019, which first required plans by January 1, 2020. MCL 380.1308 was amended by 2022 PA 257, effective March 29, 2023. HB 4222 of 2025 would amend section 1308b; it passed the House 80-26 and on May 20, 2025, was referred to the Senate Committee on Education. As passed by the House, HB 4222 would require plan updates by July 1, 2026 and every 3 school years after, a school crisis team at each school whose duties include starting a lockdown and helping with evacuation, and would let a nonpublic school's governing body opt out of the section.