School Safety in San Diego County*

Overall, the San Diego County Schools studied are prepared to handle many kinds of emergencies, including active shooter situations, due largely to mandates from the State. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 01. The safety and security of schools is our top priority. All schools within the Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) are well prepared to protect and support students in the event of an emergency. This state of readiness is the product of sustained effort and ongoing partnerships with community stakeholders, including Carlsbad Police, Carlsbad Fire, PTAs and other parent groups, our certificated and classified unions, and the Sandy Hook Promise.

Overall, law enforcement, first responders, parents and other stakeholders have shown interest to work cooperatively with San Diego County schools studied in the prevention of possible active shooter incident. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 02.

At the site level, there appears to be some lack of interactive collaboration with community stakeholders on the actual development of the plans. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 03 as a general characterization for San Diego County schools. Our district does maintain interactive collaboration with community stakeholders on the actual development of the plans, as indicated in our response to Finding 01.

The Grand Jury found that some of the schools reviewed had conducted a vulnerability study of their premises. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District disagrees wholly with Finding 04. Vulnerability assessments have been conducted for all CUSD schools.

Valuable learning from the recent Florida and Texas shootings is not fully reflected yet in the existing CSSPs. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 05. It can take many months of study in the aftermath of an active shooter event before official findings and recommendations are published. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission presented their final report to Florida state officials on January 2, 2019, and no official report has been released on the attack on Santa Fe High School in Texas. CUSD is committed to developing high quality emergency operations Carlsbad Unified School District Response to Grand Jury Report: "School Safety in San Diego County" plans for active shooter events and works closely with the Carlsbad Police Department and other stakeholder groups to update these plans as best practices emerge.

Overall, school districts in San Diego County indicated a more focused approach to active shooter response through their efforts to improve communication, add site safety precautions and adopt guidelines for Options-Based Responses in this year's or next year's Comprehensive School Safety Plans/Emergency Operations Plans. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 06.

All San Diego County Schools in the Grand Jury study claimed to have conducted or have scheduled drills within the current school year on emergency procedures directed towards intruders on campus, but not specifically armed assailants. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 07. All CUSD schools conducted lockdown drills during the 2018-19 school year.

Drills (conducted or planned) center mainly on the presentation of procedures but are progressing toward becoming more realistic and dynamic, which helps create a "mental model" for preconditioning staff and students to act with immediacy. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 08. All CUSD schools scheduled simulated, realistic and dynamic exercises in addition to lockdown drills during the 2018-19 school year.

As a note of recognition, Sweetwater Union High School District has gone above and beyond state requirements for safety training by demonstrating excellent and thorough levels of preparation. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 09.

Funding for active shooter response and preparedness is given high priority for some districts. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 10. Carlsbad Unified School District Response to Grand Jury Report: "School Safety in San Diego County"

Before and after school programs need to be better addressed in safety plans. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 11. The planning cycle our district uses to create and revise CSSPs has continuous improvement as its goal. Each CUSD school's safety plan includes and involves staff and students participating in on-site before and after school child care.

Many districts expressed a need to train all adults on campus in safety procedures. Response: The Carlsbad Unified School District agrees with Finding 12.