A lockdown drill is a specific safety drill conducted in schools to prepare students and staff to achieve maximum safety in the event of an internal or external threat, such as an intruder or active shooter in the school building or on campus, or external threat, including community violence or disaster. Lockdown drills are one component of a continuum of safety preparedness activities for students and staff that includes classroom lessons, tabletop exercises, and experiential drills. The purpose of a lockdown drill is to teach and practice actions to stay safe and quiet in classrooms or other parts of the school.

The lockdown drill process typically involves two main steps: preparation and practice. During the preparation step, classroom instruction is given about the steps to take during a lockdown, expectations of how to behave during a drill, and a clear understanding of what to do if a student feels distressed. This may include a tabletop or storytelling exercise. During the practice step, students and staff go through the action steps during a drill. This can be a walk-through with verbal prompts or a model response to a hypothetical situation.

Lockdown drills are conducted in a trauma-informed manner to minimize potential re-traumatizing of students or staff. Successful drills provide participants with the "muscle memory" should an actual lockdown occur. Lockdown drills are important because research shows that the safest place to be in an armed assailant type situation is inside a locked room.

During a lockdown drill, public service announcements are made and repeated to make sure people understand they are participating in a drill and not the real thing. Lockdown drills are evaluated to identify what needs to be changed, what works well, and record any new ideas that come up through the drill.

In summary, a lockdown drill is a specific safety drill conducted in schools to prepare students and staff to achieve maximum safety in the event of an internal or external threat. The drill process involves preparation and practice, and it is conducted in a trauma-informed manner to minimize potential re-traumatizing of students or staff. Lockdown drills are important because they provide participants with the "muscle memory" should an actual lockdown occur.