Governor Shapiro recently signed into law Act 44 of 2025, which creates a new section of the School Code titled “Parental and Employee Notification of Weapon Incidents.” This new law takes effect on January 6, 2026. The law requires all school districts to notify parents, guardians, and school employees of any incident involving the possession of a weapon on school property, in school transportation, or at school-sponsored activities. Under the new law, unless the circumstances of the incident necessitate otherwise, notification to parents, guardians, and employees must be made within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident.
If the incident occurs at a school building, the District will notify the parents or guardians of students enrolled in that building. If the incident occurs at a school-sponsored activity or on school transportation, the District will notify the relevant population of parents, guardians, and school employees. The District will utilize its SchoolMessenger system to deliver the required notices. Due to state and federal confidentiality laws, these notifications will not disclose personally identifiable information about students. Instead, they will provide very basic information regarding the date and location of a reported incident involving a weapon.
In some ways, this new law does not represent a major change, as the District would notify families of incidents of this nature. At times, however, depending on the situation, we have used our discretion when responding to situations involving look-alike items (such as toys) or tools not intended to be used as weapons (such as multi-tools or pocketknives inadvertently left in a backpack or article of clothing). The new law may result in more frequent notifications, even in cases that do not pose an active safety threat. This does not mean there is any increased danger in schools; it simply means we are now required to send more frequent notices than we have in the past. Again, an increase in notifications should not be interpreted as a reflection on the safety of our schools.
Please be assured that the District will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners, threat assessment teams, and safety/security personnel. The District has, and will continue to have a very robust safety/security infrastructure. The well-being of our students and staff remains our highest priority.
