School Safety Drill Research Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Education to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study and report on the mental health effects that may result from a lockdown drill or active shooter drill in elementary and secondary schools.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3432 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3432
To require the Secretary of Education to enter into an agreement with
the National Academies to conduct a study on the possible mental health
effects of a lockdown drill or active shooter drill in elementary and
secondary schools, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 20, 2021
Mr. Perlmutter (for himself, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, and Mr.
Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Education to enter into an agreement with
the National Academies to conduct a study on the possible mental health
effects of a lockdown drill or active shooter drill in elementary and
secondary schools, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``School Safety Drill Research Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Pew Research Center found that 57 percent of
teenage students worry about the possibility of a shooting
happening at their school.
(2) The National Center for Education Statistics found that
96 percent of public schools in the United States conducted
lockdown drills in 2015 and 2016.
(3) According to Steve Schlozman, a professor of psychiatry
at Harvard Medical School, children in proximity to frightening
circumstances are at risk for lasting symptoms, including
``everything from worsening academic and social progression to
depression, anxiety, poor sleep, post-traumatic symptomatology
and substance abuse.''.
SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT ON MENTAL EFFECTS OF LOCKDOWN DRILL OR ACTIVE
SHOOTER DRILL IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Education shall enter into an
agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine under which the National Academies shall conduct a study on
the mental health effects resulting from a lockdown drill or active
shooter drill in elementary and secondary schools.
(b) Elements.--The study conducted under subsection (a) shall
include--
(1) an assessment of the extent to which a lockdown drill
or active shooter drill results in adverse psychological
effects on students, faculty, and staff of elementary and
secondary schools;
(2) a comparison of the mental effects of a lockdown drill
or active shooter drill, including--
(A) the effects of active shooter simulations,
full-scale lockdowns, and secured-perimeter lockouts;
(B) the effects of announced versus unannounced
drills; and
(C) the effects of drills of varying frequencies;
(3) an analysis of the effects of a lockdown drill or
active shooter drill on--
(A) students of different ages or grade levels; and
(B) students with intellectual or developmental
disabilities;
(4) the identification of best practices for--
(A) accommodating--
(i) students of different ages and grade
levels;
(ii) students and staff with a history of
prior trauma;
(iii) students for whom English is a second
language; and
(iv) students with developmental and
physical disabilities;
(B) training faculty and staff to recognize
traumatic stress reactions;
(C) the provision of mental health supports during
and after a drill by a school-based mental health
services provider;
(D) discussing school violence with students; and
(E) keeping parents and the community informed
about drills, including--
(i) the type of information communicated to
parents, emergency dispatchers, and the
community before and after a drill; and
(ii) the resources given to assist parents
in talking with children about concerns or
fears related to violence at school; and
(5) an analysis of other studies and reports examining the
effects of a lockdown drill or active shooter drill on student
and staff mental health.
(c) Report.--The agreement entered into under subsection (a) shall
include a requirement that, not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the National Academies shall--
(1) compile a report on the results of the study conducted
under subsection (a);
(2) make such report publicly available on the website of
the National Academies; and
(3) provide a briefing to Congress on the results of the
study conducted under subsection (a).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $1,000,000 to carry out this Act.
(e) Definitions.--In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) Active shooter simulation.--The term ``active shooter
simulation'' means a drill in which acts mimicking an active
shooter situation are simulated, including any of the
following:
(A) The activation of emergency alarms.
(B) The presence of an active shooter or law
enforcement officer, or both, inside a school.
(C) The firing of a gun with blanks.
(D) The sound of a gun being fired.
(E) An attempt by an intruder to breach classroom
doors inside a school.
(F) The expectation that individuals inside the
school will fight an intruder.
(2) Elementary school.--The term ``elementary school'' has
the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(3) Full-scale lockdown.--The term ``full-scale lockdown''
means a drill in which all doors of a school are locked, all
windows of the school are covered, and students and faculty
must remain silent and hidden, but in which an active shooter
is not simulated.
(4) Lockdown drill or active shooter drill.--The term
``lockdown drill or active shooter drill'' means a procedure in
which a school practices an emergency protocol designed to
protect students and faculty against assault by an armed
assailant.
(5) Mental health services provider.--The term ``mental
health services provider'' means a State-licensed or State-
certified school counselor, school psychologist, or school
social worker, or a mental health professional qualified under
State law to provide mental health services to children and
adolescents.
(6) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has
the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(7) Secured-perimeter lockout.--The term ``secured-
perimeter lockout'' means a drill in which the outside building
doors of a school are locked and there is no entry or exit
allowed to or from the school, but teachers continue with
instruction.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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