A Comprehensive Safety Audit was completed in spring/summer 2018, with collaboration from the Carlsbad Police Department, the San Diego County Law Enforcement Coordination Center, and the US Department of Homeland Security. 

The Audit consisted of two main parts:

1. Document review (including California Education Code, Board Policy, Administrative Regulations, training requirements, training materials, school site safety plans, best practices in school safety, etc.).
2. Tactical survey of school campuses (including a physical review of things like perimeter fencing, ingress and egress, visitor sign-in systems, door locks, etc.). 

In August 2018, the District highlighted eighteen areas that were reviewed and analyzed regarding school safety and preparedness; the report included recommendations and anticipated costs for improvements.

In August 2022, the District publicly reviewed the current status of the school safety and preparedness measures identified in the 2018 report, and included next steps for completion of an updated 2022 Comprehensive Safety Audit, again in partnership with the Carlsbad Police Department, the San Diego County Law Enforcement Coordination Center, and the US Department of Homeland Security.

Further, as part of our ongoing efforts, the District shall hold Active Shooter Event (ASE) drills throughout the school year with staff, and age/grade-appropriate training with students.

Some Important Information Regarding the Drills

• Student training includes practicing the hide portion of Run, Hide, Fight.
• At the elementary level, each year staff will discuss Run, Hide, Fight with students, and depending upon age/grade level the words Run, Hide, Fight may be substituted. 
• At the middle and high schools, each year our middle school students watch the YouTube video SAUSD Run Hide Fight (Intermediate School), and our high school students watch the YouTube video SAUSD Run Hide Fight (High School), both of which highlight all three of the elements of the Run, Hide, Fight approach, and then allow time for discussion.
• In all schools, the drill begins with the announcement “This is a drill. This is a drill. This is a drill.” and ends with the announcement “The drill is now over. Resume normal operations."
• Following the drill, parents may receive an informational email from their school principal to notify them that the drill was conducted.  

The goal of any drill is to improve our ability to protect students. While students and staff are aware the drill will be occurring, specifics about the date and time may not always be shared so we can better evaluate our emergency preparedness plans and improve our response skills. 

If you have any questions, please contact your school principal or Mr. Tim Evanson, District Safety Coordinator at tevanson@carlsbadusd.net or 760-331-5016.

In accordance with California Education Code 49392(a), Carlsbad Unified School District shall, as part of our Annual Notification to parents or guardians, share information related to the safe storage of firearms. This information includes the following:

• Parents are responsible for keeping firearms out of the hands of children and should review this notice and evaluate their own personal practices to assure that every member in the family is in compliance with California law.

• With very limited exceptions, California makes a person criminally liable for keeping any firearm, loaded or unloaded, within any premises that are under their custody and control where that person knows or reasonably should know that a child is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the child’s parent, and the child obtains access to the firearm and thereby (1) causes death or injury to the child or any other person; (2) carries the firearm off the premises or to a public place, including to any preschool or school grades kindergarten through twelfth grade, or to any school-sponsored event, activity, or performance; or (3) unlawfully brandishes the firearm to others. (Note: The criminal penalty may be significantly greater if someone dies or suffers great bodily injury as a result of the child gaining access to the firearm.)

• With very limited exceptions, California also makes it a crime for a person to negligently store or leave any firearm, loaded or unloaded, on their premises in a location where the person knows or reasonably should know that a child is likely to gain access to it without the permission of the child’s parent, unless reasonable action is taken to secure the firearm against access by the child, even where a minor never actually accesses the firearm.

• In addition to potential fines and terms of imprisonment, as of January 1, 2020, a gun owner found criminally liable under these California laws faces prohibitions from possessing, controlling, owning, receiving, or purchasing a firearm for 10 years.

• A parent may also be civilly liable for damages resulting from the discharge of a firearm by that person’s child or ward.

• The county or city where the parent resides may have additional restrictions regarding the safe storage of firearms.

The easiest and safest way to comply with the law is to keep firearms in a locked container or secured with a locking device that renders the firearm inoperable.

More information is available in CUSD's Annual Notification of Rights (English and Spanish versions available).