Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 13-1310-B - School safety and security training(a)School entity duties.--School entities shall provide their employees with mandatory training on school safety and security subject to the following based on the needs of the school entity: (1) Training shall address any combination of one or more of the following, based on the needs of the school entity: (i) Situational awareness.(ii) Trauma-informed approaches.(iii) Behavioral health awareness.(iv) Suicide and bullying awareness.(v) Substance use awareness. (1.1) Annually, training shall address the following: (i) Emergency training drills, including fire, natural disaster, active shooter, hostage situation and bomb threat.(ii) Identification or recognition of student behavior that may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, other individuals, school facilities or the community.(2) Except for training under paragraph (1.1) (i), training may be provided through the internet or other distance communication systems. Training under paragraph (1.1)(i) shall be conducted in person.(3) Employees shall complete a minimum of two hours of training under paragraph (1) every year. Employees shall complete a minimum of one hour of training under paragraph (1.1) every year.(4) Employees required to undergo continuing professional education under section 1205.2 shall receive credit toward their continuing professional education requirements .(5) Training shall comply with the minimum standards adopted by the committee under subsection (b).(b) Committee duties.--No later than September 30, 2022, the committee shall develop and adopt minimum standards for training of school employees for each of the training topics under subsection (a)(1) and (1.1). The committee shall make the standards adopted available to school entities and provide geographically disbursed training to school employees at no cost that meets the standards adopted by the committee. The committee may approve groups, organizations or other entities to provide the training.(c) Review.--Not less than every three years, the committee shall review the standards adopted under subsection (b) and, if necessary, revise or update the standards. Whenever a revision or update to the standards is made under this subsection, the committee shall make the updated standards available to school entities.Amended by P.L. TBD 2022 No. 55, § 20, eff. 7/8/2022.Amended by P.L. TBD 2019 No. 18, § 14, eff. 6/28/2019.Added by P.L. TBD 2018 No. 44, § 3, eff. 6/22/2018.