VERMONT — A statewide safety assessment of 422 schools conducted by local, county, and state law enforcement in partnership with Vermont schools was recently completed, according to an April 19 news release. That report shows that 96 percent of Vermont schools take part in emergency preparedness activities.
Gov. Phil Scott ordered the assessments after the school shooting plot was uncovered and averted in Fair Haven this past February.
In total, 172 law enforcement officers from 50 local police agencies, seven sheriff’s departments, Vermont Fish and Wildlife, and every Vermont State Police Barracks worked with school administrators to review emergency plans and procedures throughout the month of March.
“Many of the findings in this assessment are encouraging, but we also learned a lot about what needs to be done to make our kids safer in school. This assessment is not the end of the process; it’s the beginning,” Scott said. 
The study finds disparities in the degree of school emergency preparedness statewide. While 96 percent of schools take part in required safety drills, the use of controlled access points, the availability of cameras and the ability to lock internal classroom doors vary widely depending on the school. 
The full report can be viewed at schoolsafety.vermont.gov/news/2018-vermont-school-safety-survey.