DELAND, Fla. — Time is ticking for Central Florida school districts to prepare for the first day of classes, and leaders in Volusia County are working to ensure all schools adhere to new safety protocols, prompted by Florida House Bill 1473.

What You Need To Know

  • Florida House Bill 1473 requires that, among other things, all schools keep entrances and exits securely closed and locked when students are on campus, and that these routes be actively staffed when open or unlocked, unless there’s a specific exception

  • The 25-page bill has a total of eight sections outlining safety procedures that all school districts have to comply with.
  • The law also says that county sheriff’s offices are responsible for certifying school guardians and have to report the information to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement

  • The bill went into effect on July 1, with some of the requirements to be enforced by no later than Aug. 1

One of those requirements is making sure all doors and gates to be locked during school hours unless a staff member is guarding them. The legislation was proposed in the wake of the 2018 Parkland shooting.

The 25-page bill has a total of eight sections outlining safety procedures that all school districts have to comply with. One of the main focuses of the bill is for schools to keep all doors locked on school campuses with the goal of making sure students are safe.  

In less than two weeks, students and teachers in Volusia County will be back in the classrooms. At Manatee Cove Elementary, school principal Alicia Douglas said this year they’ll have an extra layer of protection with the implementation of HB 1473. 

“I’m fine with anything that’s going to keep my staff and my students safe,” Douglas said. “You know, I want to make sure that my babies get home to their families the same way they came to school.”

The new law requires that all schools keep entrances and exits securely closed and locked when students are on campus — and that they are actively staffed when open or unlocked, unless there’s a specific exception. Douglas said they started implementing the plan at the end of last year.

“The kids will already understand and know what’s happening, as well as our parents, because we’ve already been communicating with them,” Douglas said.

She said teachers and staff will need to be aware of students coming in and out of the classroom. 

“We have to be aware when kids are leaving a classroom and entering the main office or coming back to this building, that has to remain locked,” Douglas said. “We have to be aware, because we have to let them in.”

Volusia County Schools Director of Safety and Security Capt. Todd Smith said every school in the county is in compliance with the new law. 

“I’m super excited that we were able to get every single school in compliance with House Bill 1473 in Volusia County before the end of last school year,” Smith said. “So, we’re ready to rock and roll this year.”

The law also says county sheriff’s offices are responsible for certifying school guardians, and are required to report the information to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Smith said the county has about 100 guardians stationed at schools throughout the district. 

“So, we have either a guardian or an SRO or an SRD in every single school in Volusia County,” he said.

Smith said county schools all the measures in place to keep students, faculty and staff safe.

“We drill every single month,” he said. “We work very hard. We’ve got our 6-foot perimeter fences. We’ve got good, solid gates. We’re prepared to slow down any threat so that we can get there to resolve it.”

The bill went into effect on July 1, with some requirements having to be enforced no later than Aug. 1.

“We are ready to protect all of the kids in Volusia Count,y and that they can come here and learn,” Smith said.

The first day of school for Volusia County will be Aug. 12.