SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5647
As of February 9, 2023
Title: An act relating to providing substitute teachers and other temporary employees necessary information about school safety policies and procedures.
Brief Description: Providing temporary employees necessary information about school safety policies and procedures.
Sponsors: Senators Torres, Conway, King, Lovelett, Wilson, C. and Wilson, J..
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 2/09/23.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires safe school plans to include how substitute teachers and other temporary employees receive necessary information, including school safety policies and procedures and the three basic functional drill responses.
  • Directs the School Safety Center within the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to include how these temporary employees receive necessary information in model policies and procedures and best practices. 
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION
Staff: Ailey Kato (786-7434)
Background:

Safe School Plans.  Each school district must adopt and implement a safe school plan.  The plan must include certain elements such as:

  • required school safety policies and procedures;
  • address emergency mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery; and 
  • provisions for assisting and communicating with students and staff.

 

School Safety Center.  Subject to appropriations, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must establish a School Safety Center that works in conjunction with regional school safety centers at each educational service district.  The School Safety Center has certain duties including developing model school safety policies and procedures and identifying best practices in school safety.

 

Safety-Related Drills.  Schools must conduct at least one safety-related drill per month.  These drills much teach students three basic functional drill responses:

  • shelter-in-place, used to limit the exposure of students and staff to hazardous materials;
  • lockdown, used to isolate students and staff from threats of violence; and 
  • evacuation, used to move students and staff away from threats. 

 

Schools must document the date, time, and type of each drill and maintain the documentation in the school office.
Summary of Bill:

Safe school plans must include how substitute teachers and other temporary employees receive necessary information about safe school plans, including school safety policies and procedure and the three basic functional drill responses.

 

OSPI's School Safety Center must include how these temporary employees receive necessary information in model policies and procedures and best practices. 
Appropriation: The bill contains a section or sections to limit implementation to the availability of amounts appropriated for that specific purpose.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 4, 2023.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

PRO:  The amount of information substitute teachers receive about school safety procedures varies among school districts.  This bill will help bring consistency across school districts.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Nikki Torres, Prime Sponsor.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.