ALICE: a menu of options, not a single instruction
ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. It is an options-based training model some schools use to discuss responses to an armed assailant; the acronym is not a universal command sequence or a substitute for a school's emergency operations plan. The district decides which framework and age-appropriate practices it adopts with local responders and school personnel.
A word such as Counter can sound like an instruction to perform a specific action. This guide does not train staff to confront anyone or select a response during a live event. Ask which parts of ALICE your school has formally adopted, what your role-specific training says, and who issues directions during drills and emergencies. Follow official instructions and current training for that building.
| ALICE | Standard Response Protocol | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Options-based training for an armed-assailant event | Shared response vocabulary for all-hazards incidents |
| Language | Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate | Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter |
| Staff direction | Use the host school's adopted plan and training | Use the host school's adopted plan and training |
Standard Response Protocol: a shared vocabulary across a building
The I Love U Guys Foundation's Standard Response Protocol uses five action names: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. SRP is shared vocabulary that a school can adapt; it does not replace the district's emergency operations plan or specify every staff member's job in every building. Other districts use ALICE, another model, or a local protocol. Confirm the current terms posted or taught in your building rather than mixing language from different systems.
- Confirm the exercise and your assignmentAsk who announces the drill, gives the all-clear, and provides your current role-specific directions.
- Raise access or equipment needsAsk how the plan accommodates student and staff access, health, communication, or language needs.
- Follow the announced exerciseFollow the announced drill and current training; do not add unscripted actions or scenarios.
- Debrief and safeguard informationReport barriers through the authorized channel; keep student and site-security details private.
Staff responsibilities before, during, and after a drill
Before practice, confirm whether this is a scheduled drill, tabletop exercise, or another kind of exercise; who will announce it and give the all-clear; your assigned role and backup communication method; and where to raise an access, health, or equipment concern. Ask how the plan accommodates students and coworkers with mobility, sensory, communication, medical, language, or other functional needs. Keep routes, room details, and plan documents within authorized school channels.
During an announced drill, carry out only the role and steps covered by your current school training. Do not turn practice into an improvised scenario, act as an assailant, or add unscripted actions. In a real event, use the school's emergency plan, your training, and official directions; a web article cannot determine what a person should do in a changing emergency.
After practice, use the designated debrief to report what was unclear, inaccessible, or unavailable and who needs to fix it. Route an individual student's distress or an employee's support request through the established support process. Do not put student names, health information, room vulnerabilities, or response-plan details in public notes or informal messages.
The National Academies' 2025 consensus study reports that evidence about long-term effects remains limited, while unannounced, deceptive, high-intensity, or high-sensory drills can cause fear and distress without clear added preparedness benefit. It recommends developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed planning, access accommodations, staff preparation, and mental-health support before and after practice. Raise a likely access barrier with the safety lead in advance; do not change an approved plan in the middle of a drill.
Drill frequency and safeguards depend on state law
There is no single national count for lockdown drills; the rule depends on the state, school type, and local policy. For example, Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools must conduct two lockdown drills per school year, one each semester. Texas guidance also calls for accommodations for students with an IEP or Section 504 plan during mandatory drills. California sets different safeguards for an armed-assailant drill included in a school's safety plan: it bars high-intensity drills and real weapons, blanks, or explosions, and requires advance notice, age-appropriate planning, an opt-out for parents, announcements before and after, and follow-up notice to families. These are examples, not rules for every state. Check your current state education agency guidance and district plan.
Before the first drill of the year, confirm you know
- Where to receive your current, role-specific emergency training
- Which response terminology your building uses and how official instructions are communicated
- How the district addresses accessibility and support needs during practice
- Where to report equipment, communication, or procedure problems through authorized channels
- Who communicates with families and how staff should route inquiries
Debriefing after a real event, not just a drill
After a real emergency, use the district's incident-review and employee-support processes once authorities say it is appropriate. Report concerns through the designated channel; do not share student or site-security details publicly. Staff and students may need access to counseling and other support after an event or drill, and the review should consider what participants with disabilities or other access needs experienced.
A useful debrief asks whether staff received the intended announcement, understood who was coordinating the exercise, could use the assigned roster or communication process, and knew how to raise an access or equipment problem. It should capture what needs follow-up, who owns that follow-up, and when the district will review it. Do not include student names or sensitive site details in public notes or informal messages.
Some participants may feel anxious even when a drill is announced. Staff should know where to direct a student who asks for help or appears distressed, and where employees can access support themselves. Avoid pressuring anyone to explain a personal history during a debrief; route individual concerns through the school's established student-support or employee-support process.
Communicating with families during and after a drill
Ask in advance who communicates with families during and after an incident, and what staff should do if a family contacts them directly. Follow the district's approved channels and privacy rules; do not post unconfirmed details, student information, or safety-plan specifics to social media. For scheduled drills, ask how families and staff receive notice, how the school records participation or alternatives, and where questions about student support should go.
- Before the first drillLearn the building’s current protocol, role, accessibility arrangements, and all-clear process.
- If hired mid-yearGet the same orientation before a drill; substitutes should ask again at each new building.
- After a drill or eventUse the district debrief and follow-up process.
New staff and substitutes need building-specific orientation
A staff member hired mid-year should receive the school's safety orientation before being assigned a role in a drill. Ask the administrator where to find the current plan, accessibility arrangements, family-communication route, and building-specific training. Substitute staff should request this from the host school each time they work in a new building; another school's protocol may use different terms and roles.
Sources used for this guide
- Texas School Safety Center — K-12 Standard Response Protocol Toolkit and Drill Requirements
- ALICE Training — ALICE Overview
- National Academies — School Active Shooter Drills: Protecting Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health
- California Education Code §32282 — Armed-Assailant Drill Safeguards
Rules can change. Use these sources as a starting point and confirm any state, district, student-plan, employment, licensing, or retirement requirement with the agency or team that governs your situation.
Questions school staff ask about this situation
Can a general online guide tell me what to do in a live emergency?
No. Follow the current training and official instructions for your building; the right response depends on the event and local emergency plan.
Does ALICE replace the traditional lockdown-only approach entirely?
No single approach applies everywhere. Districts select and adapt their procedures with local first responders; staff should follow the protocol and training their own school provides.
What should a substitute teacher do if they don't know the building's specific protocol?
Ask the building administrator for the current substitute orientation and role-specific directions before entering an assignment. Do not rely on memory from another building or a past visit.
Should staff change everyday door or room-security practices because of ALICE?
No general article can set a building's security practice. Follow the current district facilities and safety policy, and report equipment concerns to the designated administrator.
Is there a national rule for how many lockdown drills a school must hold?
No single national drill count applies to every school. States and districts set different frequency and safety rules. Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, for example, must hold two lockdown drills per year, one per semester. Check your state education agency and district plan for the rules where you work.