Governor Newsom Signs Legislation to Establish Guidelines for Active Shooter Drills in Schools

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – California has taken a major step toward ensuring there is clear guidance on how to implement active shooter drills in schools as Governor Newsom signed AB 1858: The Safe and Prepared Schools Act into law. Sadly, active shooter drills have become a new normal for students after several tragic mass shooting events on campuses across the country. However, a lack of guidance from the California Department of Education has led to mock drills that have failed to notify school staff and parents, leading to mass confusion and panic. In another instance, a school principal was put on a leave of absence after pretending to shoot students during an active shooter drill.

The Safe and Prepared School Act will create a permissive and structured procedural guidance to be available through the California Department of Education that is focused on preparedness, open communication, and minimizing the trauma that currently is caused by school shooter drills. The guidance will include a standardized week-of-parental notification that an event is to take place, day-of parental notification after the event has taken place, a requirement that the drills are age appropriate for the students experiencing them, a school-wide announcement that a drill is being conducted before it occurs, and information with local resources to be available following the drill to address potential issues raised by students and parents. It will also prohibit the use of simulated fire in school shooter drills.

“The Safe and Prepared Schools Act will ensure that we are not doing more harm than good in training our students to be ready in the event of these unfortunate tragedies,” said Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego). “At the same time, school staff will have clear guidance on how to implement these drills in a responsible and professional way so we’re not creating more anxiety and traumatizing our students.”

A joint study conducted by Everytown for Gun Safety and the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Social Dynamics and Wellbeing Lab found a link between active school drills and a dramatic increase in depression, anxiety, stress and other mental health concerns for students following their participation, as well as significant impacts to their physical health. While it is important that students are prepared in the event an active shooter comes onto their campus, there is little evidence that affirms the efficacy of these drills in preventing school shootings or protecting the school community when shootings do occur on campuses. 

"Given the alarming rise in school shootings, it is imperative that we equip our schools with the tools and protocols necessary to safeguard our children and school staff, and Assembly Bill 1858 provides a crucial step in that direction by establishing standardized guidelines for school shooter drills,” said Adam Weinberger, Association President of the California School Employee Association. “We want to thank Assemblymember Chris Ward for his leadership in authoring Assembly Bill 1858 and the Governor for signing it into law. By ensuring consistency and clarity in school shooter drills, we can help prepare our students and staff for potential emergencies while minimizing the potential negative psychological impact of such training." 

“As a student, I’ve grown up experiencing anxiety, confusion, and fear at school because of active shooter drills and I know I’m not alone in that feeling either,” said Ireana Williams, a volunteer leader with the California chapter of Students Demand Action chapter. “Student activists like me fought hard during this session to bring a trauma-informed approach to these drills because we know it’s possible for our schools to keep us safe, while also preserving our mental health. Gen Z will continue to fight for the next generation of students until America’s gun violence epidemic is a thing of the past.”

The Safe and Prepared Schools Act will go into effect on January 1, 2025.