The Alyssa’s Legacy Youth in Schools Safety Alert Act (ALYSSA Act) would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require silent panic alarms in every elementary and secondary school served by a local educational agency (LEA). It makes installation of at least one panic alarm a condition for receiving federal funds under the Act and requires LEAs to ensure schools are prepared to address security emergencies (such as lockdowns, non-fire evacuations, or active shooter situations) using these alarms. The alarm is defined as a silent security system signal activated manually to alert law enforcement of a life-threatening emergency. In short, the bill adds a federal funding condition mandating silent panic alarms in all public schools and links this requirement to schools’ security planning and readiness.
Key Points
- 1Requires at least one panic alarm in every elementary and secondary school served by an LEA, usable in non-fire evacuations, lockdowns, and active shooter events.
- 2Establishes a new school security provision (SEC. 8549D) tied to subparts of Title VIII, making panic alarms a condition of receipt of federal funds under the Act.
- 3Defines “panic alarm” as a silent security system signal generated by a manual activation, intended to prompt a response from law enforcement.
- 4Updates LEA planning requirements to ensure schools are prepared to address school security emergencies, including the use of panic alarms (adds to the LEA Plan requirements in Section 1112(c)(8)).
- 5Applies to all schools served by the LEA, ensuring a nationwide standard for panic alarm readiness in the context of federal education funding.