24 P.S. §15-1517
DATE OF ISSUE : September 1, 1997
DATE OF REVIEW : July 1, 2008
December 21, 2007
January 1, 2001
The purpose of this BEC is to set forth a process for public school reporting of fire drills and school bus evacuation drills to the Department of Education.
Section 1517 of the Public School Code of 1949 requires all public schools (school districts, charter schools, area vocational-technical schools and intermediate units) to conduct fire drills not less than once a month. In addition, schools using or contracting for school buses for the transportation of children are required to conduct, on school grounds, two emergency evacuation drills on buses during each school year, the first to be conducted during the first week of the first school term and the second during the month of March, and at such other times as the chief school administrator may require. On or before the tenth day of April each year, each chief school administrator shall certify to the Department of Education that these required emergency evacuation drills have been conducted in the manner prescribed in Section 1517.
Cyber charter schools are not required to comply with Section 1517, and are therefore not required to conduct fire drills.
The attached form should be completed and sent to the Bureau of Budget and Fiscal Management by the indicated date. Submission of the form will satisfy the law's certification requirement.
REFERENCES:
Purdon's Statutes
24 P.S. §15-1517
ATTACHMENT:
PDE-4101 - Certification of Fulfillment of Fire Drill and School Bus Evacuation Drill Requirements
(PDF – requires Adobe Reader)
CONTACT BUREAU/OFFICE:
Division of Subsidy Data and Administration
Pupil Transportation Section
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street
Harrisburg , PA 17126-0333
Voice: 717.787.3195
E-mail: ra-eTran@pa.gov
