SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today that the California Department of Education has partnered with the Murrieta Valley Unified School District in Riverside County and the Office of Homeland Security to develop security tips for school sites that will be used as polling places in the November election.

"When school sites serve as polling places, it is a wonderful opportunity for students to see our democracy in action," said O'Connell. "However, this may cause concern for students over increased traffic and strangers on campus. School administrators can implement these tips to help maintain order on campus and help students feel secure, which is vital to their academic success."

Security Tips for Schools Used as Polling Sites

1. Prior to the election, brief school staff on security challenges that may arise from an increase in visitors from the community.
2. Familiarize law enforcement, medical responders, and fire and rescue personnel with your campus to identify potential evacuation points, and alert them that your school will be used as a polling place.
3. Restrict public access to only the area of the school where the polling place is located. Post adequate signage to direct voters to the polling place. Ideally the location would have its own entrances and exits.
4. Ensure that polling place workers have proper identification and that school staff and students are easily identifiable. For example, staff and students may wear school shirts on Election Day.
5. Ensure that school staff and polling place staff are aware of polling place entrances and exits.
6. Ensure that communication equipment allows transmission between school administrators and polling place workers. (Note: most poll workers/inspectors have cell phones.) 
7. Review school protocols for lockdown and evacuation with your staff and polling place workers.
8. Restrooms available to voters and polling place staff should be closed to all students. Notify staff and students of the closure, and post signs on closed restrooms directing them to other facilities.
9. Review unusual occurrence protocols such as bomb threats, chemical releases, and intruder on campus.
10. Have staff conduct inspections of school grounds for suspicious items or activity prior to the beginning of school and throughout the day. Suspicious activities may include:

• People at the poll location (or in the area) who do not appear to be conducting legitimate business (i.e., loitering).
• People monitoring areas, buildings, or entrances.
• Unauthorized people in areas not open to the public.
• People requesting information with no apparent need for information.
• People wearing clothing not consistent with the weather conditions (bulky, heavy coat if the weather is warm and pleasant).
• Individual attempting to access utility locations (water, electrical, telecommunications, and information systems).

1. Provide additional security staff, or use parent volunteers, to conduct regular patrols/checks of building perimeter and grounds.
2. Keep hallways clear of lunches, backpacks, clothing, and other items.
3. Be aware of unusual vehicles parked for prolonged periods near the school. Be particularly aware of chemical odors coming from a vehicle. Consider having dashboard "permits" for poll workers' vehicles.
4. Be aware of vehicles left at the polling location containing unusual/suspicious parcels or material.
5. Be aware of substances leaking or spilling from vehicles.
6. Wherever possible, employ barriers to prevent parking within 100 feet of the polling station.
7. Have staff review the Megan's Law Web site for the area at California Megan's Law - California Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General [http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/index.aspx] (Outside Source).

The preceding tips were based upon the experiences, insights, and collaborations of members from the three agencies, and from publicly available resources such as the National School Safety and Security Services at Election Day School Safety and School Security [http://www.schoolsecurity.org/resources/election_day_security.html] (Outside Source). These tips are intended to serve as a guide and are not a substitute for sound judgment regarding the specific threats and challenges at any particular school site.