NJ School Security Legislation
Summaries of New Jersey school safety and security laws enacted in 2017–2018.
Archived summaries originally posted December 2017. Always confirm current requirements with the NJ Department of Education and the full statutory text.
School Safety Specialist — S-2242 (P.L.2017, c.162)
Signed in July 2017 and effective January 17, 2018, this law requires the superintendent of each school district to designate a school administrator as the district’s school safety specialist. It establishes the New Jersey School Safety Specialist Academy in the Department of Education, which provides a free training certification program on bullying, hazing, truancy, internet safety, emergency planning, emergency drills, drugs, weapons, gangs and school policing.
School Safety Drills — S-2438
Effective September 2017.
- Drills are required in summer if the building is used for instruction.
- If a school has fire escapes, they must be used for every fire drill.
- An actual fire or critical incident during school hours may count as that month’s fire drill.
- Police must be present for at least one critical incident drill each school year to suggest improvements to procedures.
- All employees in public and nonpublic school districts receive critical incident training annually in cooperation with local police, fire and EMS. New employees must still be trained within 60 days of employment.
School Building Security — S-2439
New school construction
- Wherever possible, adequate space for bus and vehicle traffic, with additional space for evacuation.
- Wherever possible, bus drop-off/pick-up separated from other vehicle traffic.
- Wherever possible, pedestrian routes separated from vehicle routes, with crossings minimized.
- Exterior doors kept to a minimum, as code allows.
- A single entrance during the school day with a security vestibule whose interior doors are released by security staff; consideration of bullet-resistant glazing for vestibule doors and windows.
- All marked entrances follow a uniform numbering system.
- The principal’s office has a secondary exit.
- Rooms serving as safe havens during lockdowns have keyless interior locking.
- Access control systems that allow remote locking and unlocking of building doors.
New or existing buildings
- Security personnel in uniform.
- One-way driveways where possible, leading to clearly marked visitor parking, with traffic calming devices.
- Bollards along the roadway or curb in front of the school to keep vehicles from exterior walls, windows and doors.
- Clearly marked main entrance; limited staff access doors.
- Exterior doors locked, and staffed and monitored when used for large entries or exits.
- Access control with remote unlocking, intercom and fixed cameras at entrances, as funding permits.
- Entrances marked in numerical sequence; parking decals for staff and students.
- Enclosures for outside utilities away from the building to prevent roof access.
- Adequate, properly maintained exterior lighting.
- Guard shack and gate for perimeter control where funding, staffing and site allow.
- A secure vestibule at the main entrance where footprint and funding allow.
- Policies that strictly prohibit propping doors open and opening doors for others.
- Dedicated server and generator for security systems such as access control and cameras.
- Ballistic or shatter-resistant film on entrance sidelights and other vulnerable first-floor glass.
- Strict key distribution protocol.