What School Leaders Must Do to Comply with NYS CR 155.17

As of June 2025, New York State’s Commissioner’s Regulation (CR) 155.17 requires school districts and BOCES to take significant steps to ensure student safety, emergency preparedness, and trauma-informed practices. This regulation outlines detailed requirements for planning, training, communication, and reporting, all aimed at creating safer, more responsive school environments.

To help school leaders stay compliant, here’s a breakdown of key action items and deadlines:

Planning and Documentation Requirements

Update and Adopt Safety Plans by September 1

• Ensure district-wide school safety plans and building-level emergency response plans are reviewed, updated, and adopted annually by September 1.
• Confirm that remote instruction protocols during emergency school closures are incorporated (starting from the 2023–2024 school year).

Ensure Inclusion of New Definitions and Teams

• Revise all safety plans to include:
  • Definitions of disaster, trauma, trauma-informed, and trauma-informed drills.
  • Updated terminology and responsibilities for school safety teams and emergency response teams.

Drill and Training Implementation

Implement Trauma-Informed Drill Procedures

• Revise emergency drill protocols to:
  • Prohibit use of props, actors, simulations, or mimicry of real-life violence.
  • Be age-appropriate and trauma-informed.
  • Ensure students and staff are informed it’s a drill (except for evacuation drills).
  • Provide advance parental notice within one week prior to any drill involving students.

Comply with Specific Drill Frequency and Structure

• Schedule and document:
  • 8 evacuation drills per year (6 before Dec. 31, with variation in time and location).
  • 4 lockdown drills per year (2 before Dec. 31).
  • 1 emergency early dismissal drill, with parent notification at least one week in advance.
  • Drills during night hours for schools with sleeping accommodations.
  • 2 summer school evacuation drills (if applicable).

Plan Components and Training Requirements

Enhance Prevention and Intervention Strategies

• Develop or participate in behavioral assessment or threat assessment teams (school, district, or county-level).
• Provide annual staff training on team purpose and emergency procedures.
• Incorporate de-escalation and nonviolent conflict resolution training for safety officers and staff.

Update Communication Protocols

• Establish or strengthen:
  • Anonymous reporting systems.
  • Youth-led programs, peer mediation, and mentoring forums.
  • Communication strategies between students, staff, and parents on reporting threats or concerns.

Distribute Informational Materials

• Share materials on:
  • Early detection of violent behaviors.
  • Family, community, and environmental risk factors.
  • Ensure dissemination to teachers, administrators, bus drivers/monitors, parents, and students.

Mapping, Submission, and Confidentiality

Ensure Updated and Accurate Floor Plans

• For each school, verify that maps and schematics:
  • Include labeled exits, fire safety equipment, and emergency resources.
  • Are updated, clearly marked, and accessible to first responders.

Submit Building-Level Plans Annually by October 1

• Submit plans and any amendments to:
  • Local law enforcement
  • New York State Police
• Ensure confidentiality and restricted access to building-level plans.

Chief Emergency Officer Duties

Assign and Empower the Chief Emergency Officer

• Designate the superintendent or designee as Chief Emergency Officer.
• Responsibilities include:
  • Coordinating staff training.
  • Overseeing trauma-informed drills.
  • Ensuring plans and protocols are implemented in all buildings.

Reporting Requirements

Timely Emergency Reporting

• Immediately report to the Commissioner when:
  • An emergency response plan is activated and results in school closure (excluding routine snow days).
• Ensure BOCES coordination for joint reporting, where applicable.

Technology Access Survey Submission

• Submit annual student device and internet access survey results by June 30 each year using the Commissioner’s format.

Checklist Summary for Compliance

Shared by Jim Mills

Vice President for Program and Events, Buffalo/Niagara PDK