2023 Maryland Statutes › Education › Division II - Elementary and Secondary Education › Title 7 - Public Schools › Subtitle 15 - Maryland Safe to Learn Act › Section 7-1510 - Annual Safety Evaluations

(a)    On or before June 15, 2019, and regularly thereafter, each local school system shall conduct a safety evaluation of each public school under the local school system’s jurisdiction to:
(1)    Identify and, if necessary, develop solutions for physical safety concerns, including issues with building security; and
(2)    Identify and evaluate any patterns of safety concerns on school property or at school–sponsored events.
(b)    In performing the safety evaluations, each designated safety coordinator shall:
(1)    Consult with the Center for guidance;
(2)    Coordinate with the Interagency Commission on School Construction’s facility assessment process, established under § 5–310 of this article in identifying issues with public school facilities that could impact school safety; and
(3)    Submit a summary of the completed safety evaluations to the Center.
(c)    On or before December 1, 2019, the Department, in consultation with the Center and local school systems, shall update the Emergency Planning Guidelines for Local School Systems and Schools to accommodate the findings made in the initial safety evaluations under subsection (a) of this section.
(d)    On or before August 1, 2020, and regularly thereafter, each local school system shall update the school emergency plan for each public school in the school system’s jurisdiction to:
(1)    Include detailed plans for the manner in which each public school will address:
(i)    Behavioral threats;
(ii)    Emergency events; and
(iii)    Accommodations for students with disabilities in emergency events;
(2)    Conform with the Emergency Planning Guidelines updated under subsection (c) of this section; and
(3)    Incorporate any changes required under subsection (f) of this section.
(e)    Each local school system shall submit the plans updated under subsection (d) of this section to the Center for review and comment.
(f)    (1)    On or before August 1, 2020, and each August 1 thereafter, each local school system shall submit a report to the Center that includes, for the immediately preceding school year:
(i)    Aggregate data about threats made against any school or school system facility;
(ii)    Information about any school lockdowns, evacuations, or other emergency responses that occurred;
(iii)    Incidents in which a public school’s emergency plan failed in part or in whole to function as anticipated in an emergency or an emergency drill; and
(iv)    School hours spent in an emergency or an emergency drill.
(2)    Each local school system shall, in consultation with the Center, update each emergency plan to correct weaknesses identified under paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(g)    (1)    Each local school system shall promptly inform the Center of any critical, life–threatening incidents that occur on school grounds.
(2)    (i)    After informing the Center under this subsection, a local school system shall host an after–action review and evaluation of lessons learned from the event.
(ii)    The local school system shall invite the Center, local law enforcement agencies, and emergency responders to participate in the after–action review and evaluation required under this paragraph.
(iii)    A local school system shall file a report on the after–action review and evaluation with the Center.
(3)    (i)    The Center shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly within 45 days after a local school system has filed a report on the after–action review and evaluation under paragraph (2)(iii) of this subsection.
(ii)    The Center shall include in the report filed under this paragraph:
1.    Lessons learned from the life–threatening incident; and
2.    Any recommendations for improving school safety.