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Minutes for SB263 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Establishing standards and requirements for active shooter drills conducted by public and accredited nonpublic elementary and secondary schools.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 27, 2025
Chairman Erickson opened the meeting by requesting a Revisor overview.
Tamera Lawrence, Assistant Revisor, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, gave the overview. (Attachment 1)
Proponent Testimony:
Katia Rodriguez, Manager of State Policy, Sandy Hook Promise, explained the Sandy Hook Promise was founded and continues to be led by families who lost loved ones in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Sandy Hook envisions a future where children are safe from shootings and violence in their schools, homes and communities. This bill seeks to achieve the following goals:
- Establish clear, uniform definitions and standards for active shooter drills, differentiating them from active shooter simulations.
- Ensure drills are age-appropriate, trauma-informed, and designed with students’ mental health and well-being in mind.
- Establish a requirement for evidence-based violence prevention training for students in grades six through twelve.
Recognizing the risks of poorly conducted drills, the National Association of School Psychologists and the National Association of School Resource Officers have issued best practices which emphasize tailoring drills to students' development levels, physical abilities, and past traumatic experiences.
It is important to acknowledge what SB263 does not do.
- It does not require schools to conduct active shooter drills. Rather, it sets clear standards for schools that elect to conduct these types of drills.
- It does not prohibit all active shooter simulations. It merely exempts students from mandatory participation in simulations.
- It does not discourage school safety training. Instead, it reinforces the importance of age-appropriate, developmentally suitable methods that prioritize students’ mental well-being.
- It does not mandate the use of any particular training program. It does set forth reasonable standards - modeled after federal law - for the use of evidence-based violence prevention training programs.
Also included with this testimony is "Evidence-based Violence Prevention, Vendors and Federal Funding" and "Funding Source and Technical Assistance: Bureau of Justice Assistance, US Department of Justice" (Attachment 2)
Neutral Testimony:
Jim Karleskint, United School Administrators Kansas (USA), said the USA Kansas supports the concept behind The Students Safe at School Act. However, this is a matter of local control and this is an area the Legislature should leave these decisions to the State Board of Education and locally elected Boards of Education to be carried out by school staff. (Attachment 3)
Timothy R. Graham, Director of Government Relations and Legislative Affairs, Kansas National Education Association (KNEA), stated this bill appears to be consistent with the values of KNEA in regards to student safety but KNEA is concerned about any legislation that mandates policies and procedures that should be left to local school districts. KNEA is pleased the defines and distinguishes between active shooter drills and active shooter simulations and also that younger students should not be subjected to full-scale simulations. The primary concern is the absence of allowing educators to opt out. (Attachment 4)
Lori Greenfield, Elementary Classroom Educator, says she reminds her students every day that her number one job is to keep them safe and help them learn. School safety isn't just about having plans in place, it's about creating an environment where students feel secure emotionally as well. It's this balance of physical safety and emotional security that truly allows students to succeed. (Attachment 5)
Leah Fliter, Assistant Executive Director of Advocacy, Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB), deeply appreciates and empathizes with the Sandy Hook Promise organization's focus on sparing children trauma. This testimony is neutral because this bill interferes with district local control over decisions that impact students, families and staff. Kansas school board members are acutely focused on ensuring student, staff, and community safety in our public schools. Emergency drills are carefully planned and carried out in cooperation with state and local emergency management and law enforcement agency evidence-based input and guidance. (Attachment 6)
Neutral Written Testimony:
Mark Engholm, State Fire Marshal (Attachment 7)
Dr. Brent Yeager, Superintendent, Olathe Public Schools (Attachment 8)
Opponent Written Testimony:
Terri Moses, Division Director, Safety and Environmental Services, USD 259 Wichita Public Schools, said the safety of our students and staff has long been a cornerstone of our district goals and shared beliefs. (2018) House Sub for Senate Bill 109 provided the framework for developing standards for school safety. The State Board of Education adopted nine standards as a result of this law. From those standards, the Wichita Public Schools developed crisis plans, crisis drills, communication strategies and regular collaboration points with local law enforcement and emergency responders in response to these standards. (Attachment 9)
Discussion followed.
The Chair closed the hearing on SB263.
