When the safety of students, staff, and visitors has been compromised as a result of a hazard or threat facing an education agency, it might be necessary to close, deny entry to, and/or lock down a school building or entire campus. Policies and procedures related to lockdown, denial of entry, and impromptu school closures can be outlined in a Lockdown Annex as a part of an education agency’s emergency operations plan (EOP). Planning for lockdowns must consider various levels of implementation, depending upon the severity or the intensity of the possible event as well as its location, as each locality has unique needs and resources to address situations such as a lockdown. Education agencies are encouraged to work closely with emergency management planning team members and community partners (e.g., law enforcement) to identify practices and procedures that can be customized to buildings throughout the educational campus. Planning teams and community partners can discuss the variety of possible circumstances that might require a lockdown or the need to deny entry or close, and decide on the best combinations of responses based on the event.


What’s on this page?
Resources from the REMS TA Center, U.S. Department of Education, and Federal agency partners on the topic of lockdown, denial of entry, and closing within K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. They are organized based on the before, during, and after phases used to comprehensively manage emergencies.
Before
- Clarifying Lockdown Procedures, Federal Emergency Management Agency (K-12 and Higher ed)
- Establishing Standardized Lockdown Procedures Within School Districts, Federal Emergency Management Agency (K-12)
- Sample Lockdown Annex, REMS TA Center (K-12)
- School Emergency Supplies: Possible Supply Items for Consideration, REMS TA Center (K-12)
During
- Sample Lockdown Annex, REMS TA Center (K-12)
- Using a Safe Word During Lockdowns, Federal Emergency Management Agency (K-12 and Higher ed)
After
- Clarifying Lockdown Procedures, Federal Emergency Management Agency (K-12 and Higher ed)
- Sample Lockdown Annex, REMS TA Center (K-12)