Revised Response Summary*

With respect to reported constraints on emergency planning and preparation, over half of schools and almost three quarters of districts identified either limited time or funds. Centralia School District agrees with this finding. Insufficient funding, relative to emergency planning and preparation, has been problematic for many years. At present, there are minimal State funds and resources available for disaster planning. If adequate funding was available, school districts could provide the necessary resources to move forward with emergency management planning. Unfortunately, the State fiscal crisis has had severe impacts on school district operations during the last four years. At Centralia School District, our operating funds have been reduced by over $5 million annually, or roughly 20 percent, due to the current fiscal crisis.

Six (of 17) school districts have managed to apply for and receive relatively large grants from governmental agencies to greatly enhance their emergency planning efforts, while others have not. Centralia School District agrees that school districts should seek grant funding. An existing federal grant program will be phasing out in 2012 and other grant programs will need to be identified. If more information were made available relative to grant and/or funding opportunities, districts could pursue these funding opportunities as additional resources become available. Due to the State fiscal crisis, Centralia School District has eliminated roughly 20 percent of Management, Classified, and Certificated personnel. As a result, limited resources are currently available to pursue potential grant and/or funding opportunities. Some of the additional actions required by the District in recent years include: Board of Trustees: Megan Harding • Lisa Jordan • Dennis Salts • Irv Trinkle • Cristi Woodward District Superintendent: Diane Scheerhorn, Ph.D. e . 3. Restructured and consolidated District and school site operations • Negotiated 10 Furlough Days in 2010/11 for all District staff ٠ Negotiated up to 10 Furlough Days in 2011/12 for all District staff • Implemented 5 Furlough Days in 2009/10 for all Management staff ٠ Negotiated elimination of teacher release days in 2010/11 and 2011/12 • Reduced the school year by five (5) days in 2010/11 and 2011/12 ٠ Maximized State Categorical Flexibility options • Increased class sizes to State approved maximum in most cases • Spent funds earmarked for facility improvements on general operations • Closed one (1) elementary school • Cut programs and services • Minimized travel, conference, supply & equipment purchases • Eliminated most home-to-school transportation routes • • Negotiated lower service fees with vendors Restructured Print Shop & negotiated new equipment maintenance agreements Installed energy saving thermostats and sensors ٠ Eliminate District paid dues for employee professional groups •

Some schools anticipate responding to only a few emergency situations (e.g., earthquake and fire), while others have developed plans to respond to over a dozen different threatening situations. The Centralia School District agrees with this finding, and has developed procedures to include the following emergency situations in addition to earthquakes and fires: civil disturbances, biological hazards, lockdowns, evacuations, bomb or terrorist threats, hazardous materials, chemical spills, airplane crashes, hostage situations, intruders on campus, and extreme weather related emergencies.

School districts develop plans with respect to a number of different but overlapping regulations and standards, including those required by the county, state, and the federal government. The Centralia School district agrees with this finding, and has developed school safety plans pursuant to Education Code. School districts are also required to comply with State and Federal emergency management standards, Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Some schools reported they have not adequately anticipated the needs of students taking prescription medications, or with specialized medical needs, in the event of some emergencies, such as an extended lockdown. Centralia School District schools keep important medical information on file and encourages parents (as well as staff) to keep an extra supply of medications in the Health Office in case of an emergency situation or extended stay on campus as the result of a disaster situation. . . ....

School districts are in communication with a variety of local and county departments, agencies, and systems to help them prepare for and respond to disasters or emergencies; not all districts access the same resources. The Centralia School District agrees that different districts access different resources and it is our understanding that school districts communicate in a variety of ways with first responders, local agencies, and other agencies to support matters of emergency management.

Few schools have plans or emergency preparation information available in languages other than English. The Centralia School District has emergency information available in the required languages, including English, Spanish and Korean.