In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Advisory Board” means the School Safety Subcabinet Advisory Board. “Behaviors of concern” means behaviors or threats that indicate a student may pose a risk of self–harm or harm to others. “Behaviors of concern” includes: Expressions of hopelessness; Known drug use; Suicidal gestures or statements; and Known gang activity. “Center” means the Maryland Center for School Safety. “Drill” means a formalized exercise by which school system personnel, staff, or students rehearse a school emergency plan. “Fund” means the Safe Schools Fund. “Local law enforcement agency” means: A police department of a county or municipal corporation in the State; or A sheriff’s office that provides a law enforcement function in a county or municipal corporation in the State. “Safety evaluation” means a written assessment of the safety conditions in each public school, including ingress, egress, and access to areas of refuge for all students. “School emergency plan” means a plan for each local school system and each public school within the school system that addresses mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from emergencies, including: Violent or traumatic events on school grounds during regular school hours or during school–sponsored activities; and Events in the community that affect school operations. “School resource officer” means: A law enforcement officer as defined under § 1–101(c) of the Public Safety Article who has been assigned to a school in accordance with a memorandum of understanding between the chief of a law enforcement agency as defined under § 3–201(d) of the Public Safety Article and the local education agency; or A Baltimore City school police officer, as defined in § 4–318 of this article. “School security employee” means an individual, as defined in regulations adopted by the Subcabinet, who: Is not a school resource officer; and Is employed by a local school system to provide safety and security–related services at a public school. “Subcabinet” means the School Safety Subcabinet. “Wraparound services” means services provided to students, and their families as appropriate, including: Mentoring; Tutoring; Child care services; Housing referrals; Transportation; Crisis intervention; Substance abuse prevention and treatment; Legal aid; Academic counseling; and Career counseling.

There is a Maryland Center for School Safety. The Center is an independent unit within the Department. The Center shall be based at the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center. The head of the Center is the executive director, who shall be appointed by the Subcabinet. The Center may employ the additional staff necessary to carry out the Center’s functions as provided in the State budget. The Center shall establish a satellite office at Bowie State University. The Center shall perform the following functions and duties: Provide technical assistance and consultation to local school systems, State and local government, and community organizations on best practices for safe schools and violence prevention; Develop a website containing a searchable database of definitive research, books, videos, white papers, speakers, websites, and other school safety resources; Develop criteria that may be applied consistently and uniformly in local school systems for coding unsafe incidents and serious or violent offenses; Research and recommend the use of common assessment tools to be used to identify specific problems and needs of schools and neighborhoods to facilitate intervention before assessed findings become problematic; Assist local school systems to conduct a thorough assessment of their school safety data, school building layouts, and use of human resources for monitoring purposes to determine the need for: Surveillance and other security technology; and Innovations to maximize the use of human resources to monitor activity and influence positive relationship building; Maintain and maximize relationships with emergency responders, law enforcement personnel, parents, and other emergency preparedness stakeholders to ensure seamless execution in an emergency event, including: Consolidate resources among stakeholders to maximize support and secure necessary skills to ensure emergency plan implementation; Conduct collaborative training and preparation exercises; and Identify improvements and ensure nonduplication of effort in emergency response procedures; Provide safety information on traveling to and from school to parents and students twice a year that includes data related to bus and pedestrian safety, strategies for ensuring personal safety, efforts of the local school system or school to improve safety, and information on the available options for reporting incidents or concerns; Utilize and update an existing clearinghouse of law enforcement resources that are available to support school safety to ensure that it includes information regarding the purpose and process for accessing available funding; Assist local school systems to improve and monitor traffic control measures in the immediate vicinity of schools to reduce the potential for pedestrian and vehicle accidents; Assist the Department to evaluate and update current data systems to ensure they are best suited for providing useful information on school safety issues; Assist local school systems to monitor local school system and individual school behavior data to ensure fairness in the application of consequences for student misbehavior; Assist the Department and local school systems: To prepare an annual report that combines multiple school safety data systems into one format for public review; and To incorporate new data points into existing data collection systems; Assist in the development of safety and security criteria for the design and operation of school facilities; Assist local school systems to identify resources and implement training for students and parents about relationship violence, identifying the signs of unhealthy relationships, and preventing relationship violence; Provide technical assistance to local school systems in the review of safety and security audits and the implementation of improvements in school facilities; Analyze data on school resource officers and develop guidelines and training for local school systems as required under § 7–1508 of this subtitle; Certify school safety coordinators as required under § 7–1508 of this subtitle; Submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a summary of reports on school resource officer and local law enforcement agency coverage in public schools as required under § 7–1508 of this subtitle; Consult with local school systems on safety evaluations developed under § 7–1510 of this subtitle; Review and comment on school emergency plans developed under § 7–1510 of this subtitle; Report to the General Assembly and the Governor on life–threatening incidents as required under § 7–1510 of this subtitle; Collaborate with an institution of higher education or a designated federal or national research entity to study the effectiveness and psychological impact of active shooter safety drills or trainings by researching and analyzing the data collected from local school systems in accordance with § 7–1509(f) of this subtitle; On or before October 1, 2024, identify best practices for active shooter safety drills or trainings, and periodically update those identifications using the data collected from local school systems in accordance with § 7–1509(f) of this subtitle; Administer the Secure Schools Emergency Response Grant Program under § 7–1513 of this subtitle; and Develop and administer the anonymous reporting system in accordance with § 7–1514 of this subtitle.

There is a School Safety Subcabinet. The Subcabinet is the governing board of the Center. The Subcabinet consists of the following members: The State Superintendent, or the State Superintendent’s designee; The Secretary of State Police, or the Secretary’s designee; The Attorney General, or the Attorney General’s designee; The Secretary of Disabilities, or the Secretary’s designee; The Secretary of Health, or the Secretary’s designee; and The Executive Director of the Interagency Commission on School Construction, or the Executive Director’s designee. The State Superintendent, or the State Superintendent’s designee, shall chair the Subcabinet. The Executive Director of the Center shall provide staff for the Subcabinet. The Subcabinet shall meet regularly at such times and places as it determines. The Subcabinet shall: Collaborate with local school systems in the State, law enforcement agencies, State and local government agencies, community organizations, parents, and other stakeholders to provide a comprehensive, coordinated approach to school safety; In partnership with the Advisory Board and other stakeholders: Disseminate information on best practices, programs, and resources; Provide technical assistance and training to local jurisdictions and local school systems; Collaborate on collection, analysis, and integration of statewide data; and Promote interagency efforts that support safe schools for all students, school staff, parents, and community members; Establish a Safe School Information and Best Practices Clearinghouse of up–to–date, research–based, and data–driven information on effective strategies for creating and maintaining safe schools; Identify safe school professional staff development best practices; Initiate collaborative partnerships and facilitate coordination among local school systems, law enforcement agencies, State and local government, and community organizations to leverage existing resources to deliver school safety services uniformly to local school systems; Foster coordination among all entities responsible for ensuring the safety and security of school facilities in the State; Distribute grants from the Fund in accordance with § 7–1512 of this subtitle; Collaborate with the Department on the model policy for an assessment team under § 7–1507 of this subtitle; Adopt regulations to define a school security employee for the purpose of the training and report required for school security employees under § 7–1508 of this subtitle; Provide general oversight and direction to the Center; Approve the annual budget for the Center; Adopt any regulations necessary to carry out the Subcabinet’s duties under this subtitle; and Perform other duties assigned by the Governor. The Subcabinet shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on or before December 15 each year. The report shall include: A list of all the activities of the Center, including aggregate data on the information collected from each local school system under § 7–1510 of this subtitle; An update on the current status and effectiveness of the Center; Data collected on school resource officers under § 7–1508 of this subtitle; and Recommendations made by the Subcabinet for improving school and student safety.

There is a School Safety Subcabinet Advisory Board. The Advisory Board shall include the following members: One member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of the Senate; One member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House; A representative of local superintendents of schools, appointed by the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland; A representative of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, appointed by the Association; A school psychologist or licensed or clinical social worker, appointed by the State Superintendent; A special education administrator, appointed by the State Superintendent; A classroom teacher, appointed jointly by the Maryland State Education Association and the Baltimore Teachers Union; A school principal, appointed by the State Superintendent; One representative of the Department of Human Services, appointed by the Secretary of Human Services; One representative of the Department of Juvenile Services, appointed by the Secretary of Juvenile Services; A school resource officer, appointed by the Maryland Association of School Resource Officers; A sheriff, appointed by the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association; A chief of police, appointed by the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, Inc.; An emergency medical, fire, or rescue services professional, appointed by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems; The Director of the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center, or the Director’s designee; One representative of the Maryland Assembly on School–Based Health Care, appointed by the Assembly; One representative of the Maryland Association of Student Councils, appointed by the Association; One representative of the Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus, appointed by the Center for School Mental Health; One representative of Disability Rights Maryland, appointed by Disability Rights Maryland; and The following five members of the public, appointed by the Governor: A parent of a public school student in the State; A parent of a child with disabilities who attends a school in the State; A representative of a nonpublic school in the State; A representative of school bus drivers; and A representative of a nonpublic special education school. The Governor shall appoint a chair of the Advisory Board from among its members. A member appointed by the Governor: Serves at the pleasure of the Governor; Serves for a term of 3 years and until a successor is appointed and qualifies; and May be reappointed but may not serve more than two consecutive terms. A member of the Advisory Board: May not receive compensation as a member of the Advisory Board; but Is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. The Advisory Board shall meet regularly at such times and places as it determines. The Advisory Board shall provide the Subcabinet with advice and assist the Subcabinet in completing its duties.

In this section, “child care center” has the meaning stated in § 9.5–401 of this article. The Center may make grants to schools and child care centers determined to be at risk of hate crimes or attacks as described under § 10–305 of the Criminal Law Article for security–related technology and security–related facility upgrades. Any school or child care center determined to be at risk of hate crimes or attacks as described under § 10–305 of the Criminal Law Article by the Center may apply to the Center for a State grant to be applied toward the cost of a security–related project. The allocation and use of State funds under this section are subject to the following: State funds may be used only for funding additional security training needs, security personnel, security cameras, security–related technology, door–hardening, improved lighting, or other security–related facility upgrades; and The amount of the State grant for any project shall be determined after consideration of all eligible applicants, the total of the unallocated State funds available at the time the application is received, and the priorities of area need as may be established by the Center. Funding for the State grants under this section shall be as provided by the Governor in the annual State budget. The Subcabinet may adopt regulations for receiving and considering applications and for disbursing funds to applicants.

Beginning in fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall provide not less than $2,000,000, not including any appropriation provided for the Fund, in the annual State budget to carry out the ongoing operation of the Center. The operation of the Center shall be supported by: Funds as provided by the Governor in the annual State budget; Grants or other assistance from local education agencies; Federal grants; and Any other grants or contributions from public or private entities received by the Center.

On or before September 1, 2018, the Subcabinet shall develop a model policy for the establishment of an assessment team or teams in each local school system. The model policy developed under subsection (a) of this section shall include: Mechanisms for identifying individuals whose behavior may pose a threat to the safety of an individual attending or working in a public school; Mechanisms for the assessment of student behavior and interventions if student behavior poses a threat to the safety of an individual attending or working in a public school; Mechanisms for the assessment of the behavior of an individual who is not a student at a public school but who may pose a threat to the safety of an individual attending or working in the public school; Best practices for promoting communication and appropriate responses within a school community, including measures for: Training faculty, administrators, and staff to identify, properly respond to, and report threats or behaviors of concern that may pose a threat to the safety of an individual attending or working in a public school; Teaching students to identify, and encouraging students to report, behaviors of concern exhibited by their peers or others that may pose a threat to the safety of an individual attending or working in a public school, including sharing thoughts about or plans for engaging in violence at the school; and Increasing outreach to and the awareness of parents and guardians concerning the emotional and social health and well–being of students; Procedures for members of the school community or others to report behaviors of concern that may pose a threat to the safety of an individual attending or working in a public school; Policies regarding anonymous reporting by members of the school community or others of behaviors of concern that may pose a threat to the safety of an individual attending or working in a public school; Guidance for establishing an appropriate number of assessment teams within a local school system that: Shall coordinate among school officials and law enforcement, mental health, and other appropriate entities to monitor and respond to information about behavior, statements, or plans that may pose a threat of violence at a school; and Shall include individuals with expertise in student counseling, education instruction, school administration, and law enforcement; and Policies for training assessment teams, including training on implicit bias and disability and diversity awareness with specific attention to racial and ethnic disparities. On or before September 1, 2019, each local school system shall adopt a policy for the establishment of assessment teams that is consistent with the model policy developed by the Subcabinet and includes: A process for regular assessment and intervention, including diversion and de–escalation, if an individual exhibits behavior that may pose a threat to the safety of another individual attending or working in a public school; Standards for timely response and procedures for coordination among the members of an assessment team, including referral to appropriate local law enforcement officials, the local school system, and the county superintendent of information indicating that an individual may pose a threat of violence to the school; and Standards and procedures for referral of an individual for evaluation, services, or treatment when appropriate.

Each local school system shall designate a school safety coordinator. A designated school safety coordinator shall: Be certified by the Center; and Serve as a liaison between the local school system, the local law enforcement agency, and the Center. On or before September 1, 2018, the Center, in consultation with local school systems, shall: Develop a specialized curriculum for use in training of school resource officers and school security employees; and Submit the curriculum to the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission for approval. The specialized curriculum developed under this subsection shall include training in: De–escalation; Disability awareness; Maintaining a positive school climate; Constructive interactions with students; and Implicit bias and disability and diversity awareness with specific attention to racial and ethnic disparities. The specialized curriculum developed under this subsection may not go into effect until it is approved by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission. If the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission does not initially approve the specialized curriculum, the Center shall amend the curriculum until it meets with the Commission’s approval. On or before March 1, 2019, the Center shall develop and submit to the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission for approval a model training program that meets the requirements of the curriculum approved under paragraph (1) of this subsection. Each local law enforcement agency shall: Enroll individuals assigned to be school resource officers in the model training program developed by the Center under paragraph (2) of this subsection; or Submit to the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission for approval a training program that is consistent with the curriculum developed under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and Enroll individuals assigned to be school resource officers in the training program developed under item 1 of this item. Beginning September 1, 2019, to be assigned as a school resource officer an individual shall: Complete: The model training program developed by the Center under paragraph (2) of this subsection through instruction provided by the Center in collaboration with the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission; or A local law enforcement agency’s training program developed under paragraph (3)(ii) of this subsection; and Be certified by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission. Beginning September 1, 2019, to be employed as a school security employee at a public school, an individual shall complete: The model training program developed by the Center under paragraph (2) of this subsection through instruction provided by the Center in collaboration with the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission; or A local law enforcement agency’s training program developed under paragraph (3)(ii) of this subsection. The Center shall collect data regarding the school resource officers in each local school system, including: The number of full–time and part–time school resource officers assigned to each elementary school, middle school, and high school; and Any other local school system employees or local law enforcement officers who are fulfilling the role of a school resource officer. On or before December 15, 2018, the Center, in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies and local school systems, shall analyze the initial data collected under subsection (c) of this section and develop guidelines to assist local school systems in: Identifying the appropriate number and assignment of school resource officers, including supplemental coverage by local law enforcement agencies; and Collaborating and communicating with local law enforcement agencies. On or before July 1, 2019, each local school system, in consultation with local law enforcement agencies, shall: Develop a plan to implement the guidelines developed by the Center; and Submit the plan to the Center for review and comment. Before the 2018–2019 school year begins, each local school system shall file a report with the Center identifying: The public high schools in the local school system’s jurisdiction that have a school resource officer assigned to the school; and If a public high school in the local school system’s jurisdiction is not assigned a school resource officer, the adequate local law enforcement coverage that will be provided to the public high school. Beginning with the 2019–2020 school year, and each school year thereafter, before the school year begins, each local school system shall, in accordance with the plan developed under subsection (d)(2) of this section, file a report identifying: The public schools in the local school system’s jurisdiction that have a school resource officer assigned to the school; and If a public school in the local school system’s jurisdiction is not assigned a school resource officer, the adequate local law enforcement coverage that will be provided to the public school. On or before October 1, 2018, and each October 1 thereafter, the Center shall submit a summary of the reports required under this subsection to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly. Each local school system shall post on the school system’s website information on the role and authority of school resource officers assigned to public schools within the school system. For fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $10,000,000 for the purpose of providing grants to local school systems and local law enforcement agencies to assist in meeting the requirements of subsection (e) of this section. Grants provided under this subsection shall be made to each local school system based on the number of schools in each school system in proportion to the total number of public schools in the State in the prior year. A local school system may use funds provided under subsection (g) of this section for school security employees. The Center shall collect data on incidents of use of force between: Any school resource officer and a student while a school resource officer is carrying out the officer’s duties; and Any school security employee and a student while the school security employee is carrying out the employee’s duties. On or before December 1, 2020, and each December 1 thereafter, the Center shall submit a report on the data collected under paragraph (1) of this subsection for each jurisdiction, in accordance with federal and State law, to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly.

In this section, “public school personnel” means: A school resource officer; A school security employee; A principal or an assistant principal; A teacher; A school counselor; An individual employed by a public school for at least 7 days each school year; or A law enforcement officer who: Is not directly assigned to or employed by a public school; Has not completed the Center’s School Resource Officer and School Security Employee Training Academy; and Provides adequate law enforcement coverage to public schools in accordance with an agreement between the local law enforcement agency and the local school system. Public school personnel may not: Be used for purposes of or otherwise engage in immigration enforcement, as defined in § 6–111 of the State Government Article, at the public school; or Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, produce or share information or a document pertaining to student educational records or employee personnel records or any other information about or from a student, a public school employee, or a student’s or a public school employee’s family or household for purposes of immigration enforcement, as defined in § 6–111 of the State Government Article. Public school personnel shall immediately contact the county superintendent or the county superintendent’s designee and legal counsel for the local school system if presented with: A judicial warrant; A judicial subpoena; or A legal order for the production of information or a document regarding the individuals described under subsection (b)(2) of this section. This section shall be construed consistently with any applicable federal and State privacy laws.

Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Department, in consultation with the Subcabinet, may adopt regulations to incorporate in the annual schedule of drills for each local school system developmentally and age–appropriate components of: The Active Shooter Preparedness Program developed by the Department of Homeland Security or guidelines; or The active shooter guidelines adopted by the Maryland Active Assailant Work Group established under Executive Order 01.01.2018.08. Items incorporated into the annual schedule of drills in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection may take the form of a training rather than a drill. Drills or trainings incorporated into the annual schedule of drills under subsection (a) of this section shall be developmentally and age–appropriate, and may include procedures for students or school personnel in: Securing classrooms; Barricading classrooms and school entries; Taking refuge in the classroom; and When appropriate, escape from the classroom or school. Before the 2025–2026 school year, and before each school year thereafter, the Department shall review the best practices for active shooter safety drills or trainings identified by the Center in accordance with § 7–1502(g) of this subtitle and update any drills and trainings that have been incorporated into the annual schedule of drills under subsection (a) of this section to reflect those best practices. Except for a voluntary drill or training occurring after school hours, active shooter safety drills or trainings may not include: Loud sounds intended to imitate gunfire or explosions; Live exercises with individuals role–playing as an active shooter or a victim; or Similar activities that may cause the drill or training to be traumatic for students or school personnel. If a concern is raised that a component of a drill or training best practice identified under subsection (c) of this section is contrary to the intent of the trauma–sensitive requirements under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Center, after consultation with the Department, shall make the final determination as to whether the component complies with the requirements under paragraph (1) of this subsection. The Department shall notify the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Legislative Policy Committee of proposed changes to regulations that alter the annual schedule of drills as provided under this section. Each local school system shall: Collaborate with the local law enforcement agency to establish policies for responding to an emergency at each public school in the county; Provide parents with the annual schedule of active shooter safety drills or trainings at the beginning of the school year, which includes: The month in which the drills or trainings will occur; The type of drill or training that will occur; and How students will be notified of the drill or training; Announce drills or trainings in advance to students and school personnel; Notify parents after a drill or training has taken place; Provide a mental health follow–up for students and school personnel after a drill or training; Identify students or school personnel who may require additional support during and after a drill or training, including an individual: With a disability; or Who has experienced trauma; and Provide additional resources and coping strategies for individuals who require additional support during and after a drill or training; and Collect data on the effectiveness and psychological impact of the drills or trainings, including requesting feedback from school personnel, parents, and students, in a manner and format approved by the Center to allow for the required analysis under § 7–1502(g)(22) of this subtitle; and Report the data and findings to the Center. On or before July 1, 2025, the Center shall develop model content that informs parents of the State’s firearm storage laws. Each year, the Center shall evaluate the model content and update it as needed. The Center shall consult with the Department of State Police in developing the model content. At the beginning of each school year, each local school system shall distribute the model content to the parents.

On or before June 15, 2019, and regularly thereafter, each local school system shall conduct a safety evaluation of each public school under the local school system’s jurisdiction to: Identify and, if necessary, develop solutions for physical safety concerns, including issues with building security and associated issues of accessibility for individuals with disabilities; and Identify and evaluate any patterns of safety concerns on school property or at school–sponsored events. In performing the safety evaluations, each designated safety coordinator shall: Consult with the Center for guidance; Coordinate with the Interagency Commission on School Construction’s facility assessment process, established under § 5–310 of this article, in identifying issues with public school facilities that could impact school safety; and Submit a summary of the completed safety evaluations to the Center. On or before December 1, 2019, the Department, in consultation with the Center and local school systems, shall update the Emergency Planning Guidelines for Local School Systems and Schools to accommodate the findings made in the initial safety evaluations under subsection (a) of this section. On or before August 1, 2020, and regularly thereafter, each local school system shall update the school emergency plan for each public school in the school system’s jurisdiction to: Include detailed plans for the manner in which each public school will address: Behavioral threats; Emergency events; and Accommodations for students with disabilities in emergency events; Conform with the Emergency Planning Guidelines updated under subsection (c) of this section; and Incorporate any changes required under subsection (f) of this section. Each local school system shall submit the plans updated under subsection (d) of this section to the Center for review and comment. On or before August 1, 2020, and each August 1 thereafter, each local school system shall submit a report to the Center that includes, for the immediately preceding school year: Aggregate data about threats made against any school or school system facility; Information about any school lockdowns, evacuations, or other emergency responses that occurred; Instances in which a public school facility became inaccessible for a student with a disability in a manner that could impede evacuation or an emergency response; Incidents in which a public school’s emergency plan failed in part or in whole to function as anticipated in an emergency or an emergency drill; and School hours spent in an emergency or an emergency drill. Each local school system shall, in consultation with the Center, update each emergency plan to correct weaknesses identified under paragraph (1) of this subsection. Each local school system shall promptly inform the Center of any critical, life–threatening incidents that occur on school grounds. After informing the Center under this subsection, a local school system shall host an after–action review and evaluation of lessons learned from the event. The local school system shall invite the Center, local law enforcement agencies, and emergency responders to participate in the after–action review and evaluation required under this paragraph. A local school system shall file a report on the after–action review and evaluation with the Center. The Center shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly within 45 days after a local school system has filed a report on the after–action review and evaluation under paragraph (2)(iii) of this subsection. The Center shall include in the report filed under this paragraph: Lessons learned from the life–threatening incident; and Any recommendations for improving school safety.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Program” means the School Mapping Data Program. “School mapping data” means data in an electronic or digital format to assist first responders in responding to emergencies at a school. There is a School Mapping Data Program in the Center. The purpose of the Program is to provide funds to local school systems to produce school mapping data for each public school in the county, including public charter schools. Each local school system, in consultation with the local law enforcement agency, may apply to the Subcabinet for funds to produce school mapping data. School mapping data produced with funding from the Program shall comply with the facility mapping standards developed by the Interagency Commission on School Construction under § 5–310.1 of this article. The Center shall work in consultation with the Interagency Commission on School Construction to ensure that school mapping data produced with funding from the Program meets the facility mapping standards developed under § 5–310.1 of this article. At a minimum, school mapping data produced with funding from the Program shall: Be compatible with software platforms used by the school and local, State, and federal public safety agencies that provide emergency services to the school without requiring the purchase of additional software or charging a fee to view or access the data; Be in a printable format and, if requested, be in a digital file format that can be integrated into interactive mobile platforms; Be verified for accuracy by a walk–through of the school buildings and grounds; Be oriented true north; Be overlaid on current aerial imagery; Contain site–specific labeling that matches the structure of school buildings, including: Room labels; Hallway names; External door or stairwell numbers; and Locations of: Hazards; Critical utility locations; Key boxes; and Automated external defibrillators and trauma kits; Contain site–specific labeling that matches the school grounds, including: Parking areas; Athletic fields; Surrounding roads; and Neighboring properties; and Be overlaid with gridded x and y coordinates.

Each behavioral health services coordinator under § 7–447 of this title shall develop plans for delivering behavioral health and wraparound services to students who exhibit behaviors of concern. The Subcabinet may provide grants from the Fund to local school systems to develop plans for delivering behavioral health and wraparound services to students who exhibit behaviors of concern. In applying for a grant under this subsection, a local school system shall provide evidence of how external funding will be maximized to provide students with behavioral health and wraparound services, including through the submission of claims to health insurance plans, if applicable, for any covered health services. The Subcabinet shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.

There is a Safe Schools Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to provide grants to local school systems to enhance school safety. The Subcabinet shall administer the Fund. The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. The Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund in conjunction with the Executive Director of the Center. The Fund consists of: Money credited to the Fund under § 17–106(e) of the Transportation Article; Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; Money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund; and Any interest earnings of the Fund. Except as provided in subsection (g) of this section, the Fund may be used only to provide grants to local school systems to enhance school safety, including: Conducting training for students and school personnel on de–escalation of situations and identifying and reporting behaviors of concern; Conducting training of assessment teams; Conducting school safety evaluations; Establishing formal and anonymous mechanisms for reporting safety concerns; Reimbursing local law enforcement agencies for school resource officer training provided by the Center; Enrolling school security employees in training provided by the Center; Developing plans to deliver school–based behavioral health and other wraparound services to students who exhibit behaviors of concern, including establishing systems to maximize external funding for services; Outreach to the broader school community to improve school safety, including to heighten awareness of existing mental health services and other services; Providing information to students and parents on traveling safely to and from school, including data related to bus and pedestrian safety, strategies for ensuring personal safety, efforts of the local school system to improve safety, and information on available options for reporting incidents and concerns; and Assisting local school systems to improve and monitor traffic control measures in the immediate vicinity of schools to reduce the potential for pedestrian and vehicle accidents. The Subcabinet may use the Fund to provide funding to local school systems in accordance with § 7–1510.1 of this subtitle. The Subcabinet may make grants to local school systems and local law enforcement agencies from the Fund. The Subcabinet shall establish procedures for local school systems and local law enforcement agencies to apply for grants from the Fund. The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested. Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. Expenditures from the Fund may only be made: In accordance with the State budget; or By the budget amendment procedure as provided in § 7–209 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, if at least 45 days have passed since the budget amendment and supporting information were submitted to the budget committees for their review and comment. Money expended from the Fund by local school systems to enhance school safety is supplemental to and is not intended to take the place of funding that otherwise would be appropriated to local school systems.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Emergency event” means an emergency situation that requires an immediate response by first responders. “First responder” has the meaning stated in § 1–301 of the Public Safety Article. “Program” means the Secure Schools Emergency Response Grant Program. “Public safety agency” has the meaning stated in § 1–301 of the Public Safety Article. “Public safety answering point” has the meaning stated in § 1–301 of the Public Safety Article. There is a Secure Schools Emergency Response Grant Program administered by the Center. The purpose of the Program is to provide grants to local school systems to improve emergency notification systems and communication between public elementary and secondary school personnel, a public safety answering point, and a public safety agency during emergency events. A local school system awarded a grant by the Center under the Program shall use the funds to: Improve emergency notification systems; or Enhance communications within the school and with public safety agencies. Each county board, in consultation with local law enforcement and a local public safety answering point, may apply to the Center for a grant under the Program. An emergency notification system and the communications under subsection (b)(3) of this section may include the following: A cellular phone application–based emergency event system that: Can be integrated with a local public safety answering point; and Is able to: Place a standard telephone call to 9–1–1; Text communications between authorized users and a public safety answering point and public safety agency; Provide text messages, e–mails, and push notifications to authorized users, including school personnel, first responders, and other public safety agency personnel; and Automatically transmit school floor plans, school emergency plans, and relevant contact information to first responders or public safety agency personnel responding to a panic button event at a school without further action needed by the user reporting the emergency; The capability to generate an automated emergency alert notification to all public and nonpublic schools located in reasonable proximity to an emergency situation that is determined to be an imminent threat to school campuses or school personnel by the public safety answering point receiving the report; and Intercoms, school public address systems, bidirectional antennas or boosters, and other technology that will improve emergency notification and communication, as identified by the Center. On or before September 1, 2026, the Center shall ensure that the Program is operating and available to each county board. The Governor may include in the annual budget bill an appropriation for the Program.

The Center shall develop and administer an anonymous reporting system. The anonymous reporting system shall: Coordinate the receipt of information relating to a school or student safety concern in a manner that maintains the anonymity of the individual reporting the information; and Provide a mechanism for any reported information to be forwarded to school officials or other appropriate response personnel. The Center shall: Develop operational guidelines and procedures for the anonymous reporting system; and Provide training sessions for school personnel on navigating the anonymous reporting system. Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, beginning July 1, 2027, each local school system shall participate in the anonymous reporting system developed under this section. A local school system may choose not to participate in the anonymous reporting system only if the local school system, on or before July 1, 2027, operates and makes available to the public a reporting system that is substantially similar to the anonymous reporting system developed under this section. A local school system that chooses not to participate in the anonymous reporting system shall provide written notice to the Center on or before December 1, 2026.