School and District Roles in Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs)

The roles and responsibilities of the school district in developing and implementing school EOPs can vary depending upon the step of the planning process. In all the steps, both the school and the district assume some roles and responsibilities. For example, in Step 3 the district has a primary role in developing goals and objectives, while in Step 4 the school core planning team takes the goals and objectives created by the district, develops relevant courses of action, and customizes them for the school. In some steps, the districts may play a primary role; in others, the school may do so.

There are also steps in which the district and its schools share primary roles. For example, in Step 2 the district identifies all the threats and hazards that could affect any school in the district, after which the school core planning team, using that list as a starting point, conducts school-based assessments and identifies the list of threats and hazards unique to its school. The final school list included in the school’s EOP might not include all the threats and hazards included on the district’s master list.

At each step throughout this Guide, we summarize the school’s role and elaborate on the role of the district. Districts may take a different approach to supporting schools, but, regardless of a district’s choice, it is critically important that the district impart its expectations to the school core planning team.

Recommended Primary Roles of School and District at Each Step of Planning

Step 1: Form a Collaborative Planning Team

• School
• District

Step 2: Understand the Situation

• School
• District

Step 3: Determine Goals and Objectives

• School
• District

Step 4: Plan Development (Identifying Courses of Action)

• School

Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval

• School
• District

Step 6: Plan Implementation and Maintenance

• School

A Checklist for Districts to Guide Schools Through the Planning Process, by Steps and Tasks

1. Help Schools Form Collaborative Planning Teams
   • Task 1: Form a School Core Planning Team
   • Task 2: Develop a Common Framework
   • Task 3: Define and Assign Roles and Responsibilities
   • Task 4: Determine a Regular Schedule of Meetings
2. Help Schools Understand the Situation
   • Task 1: Identify Threats and Hazards
   • Task 2: Evaluate the Risks and Vulnerabilities Posed by Threats and Hazards
   • Task 3: Prioritize Threats and Hazards
3. Help Schools Determine Goals and Objectives
   • Task 1: Select Threats and Hazards to Address in School EOP s
   • Task 2: Develop Goals and Objectives for Selected Threats and Hazards
   • Task 3: Identify Cross-Cutting Functions
   • Task 4: Develop Goals and Objectives for Cross-Cutting Functions
4. Help Schools Develop Plans (Identify Courses of Action)
   • Task 1: Develop Courses of Action
   • Task 2: Select Preferred Courses of Action
   • Task 3: Finalize and Format the Functional and Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes
5. Help Schools Prepare, Review, and Approve Plans
   • Task 1: Develop the Basic Plan
   • Task 2: Format the Plan
   • Task 3: Revise the Formatted Draft
   • Task 4: Review the Plan for Quality
   • Task 5: Approve and Share the Plan
6. Help Schools Implement and Maintain Plans
   • Task 1: Train and Inform Stakeholders
   • Task 2: Exercise the Plan
   • Task 3: Review, Revise, and Maintain the Plan