Every school in Bountiful, Woods Cross, North Salt Lake and Farmington will operate under new cardiac emergency protocols and updated discipline policies when students return Aug. 20, after the Davis School District Board of Education approved a slate of changes at its Tuesday, Aug. 4 regular meeting.

Board President Brigit Gerrard presided over the session, which included adoption of an Emergency Response Preparedness Plan required by state law SB244, policy updates tied to three additional bills signed by Gov. Spencer Cox this year, and approval of the district's 2026-27 curriculum review committee membership.

Cardiac emergency plans now required at every campus

General Counsel Ben Onofrio presented the updated Emergency Response Preparedness Plan, which brings the district into compliance with SB244. The law requires every public school to maintain a cardiac emergency response plan covering placement and maintenance of automated external defibrillators and staff training in first aid, CPR and AED use, according to the Utah State Board of Education's 2026 legislative summary. The state appropriated $200,000 to support implementation statewide.

The plan takes effect for the 2026-27 school year.

For families across Davis County, it means trained staff and working AEDs should be in place when doors open Aug. 20.

Three new state laws reshape discipline policy

The board also approved policy updates on a first and final reading to comply with three laws from the 2026 legislative session:

SB167 (Reintegration for Disciplined Students): Allows the board to deny enrollment applications for students with school safety concerns. Requires schools to develop reintegration plans within seven school days when a student is arrested, charged or adjudicated for a serious offense. Sponsored by Sen. Daniel McCay, the law took effect May 6.

HB188 (Juvenile Justice Amendments): Requires a school to refer a minor to juvenile court after a third alleged drug possession offense on school grounds and changes notification requirements for on-campus offenses.

SB181 (School Discipline Amendments): Sets statewide standards for seclusion rooms. Seclusion is generally limited to no more than 30 minutes at a time, permitted only as a last resort when a student poses immediate danger, and must be recorded on audio and video. Districts must evaluate existing seclusion rooms and report compliance by Dec. 31. The law adds specific safeguards for students with disabilities or those in crisis, making it a direct special education policy change for every campus in the district.

Curriculum review committee approved

Dr. Timothy Best, the district's Healthy Lifestyles Director, presented the 2026-27 curriculum review committee membership for board approval, as required under state board rule R277-474-5. The committee will shape what instructional materials students encounter this school year. The specific subjects under review and the names of committee members were not released in the meeting agenda.

Families who want to know who is reviewing their children's curriculum can request that information from the district under Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) at davis.k12.ut.us.

Other business

The board approved greenhouse repair work at Davis High School, where a contractor will replace panels and upgrade utilities supporting the aging structure. The contract amount was not disclosed in the agenda.

Superintendent Dan Linford, named 2026 Utah Superintendent of the Year on Aug. 3, was present for the meeting. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve, grateful for the people who have mentored me along the way, and grateful to represent the thousands of educators who make this work possible every single day in Davis School District," Linford said at the Aug. 3 ceremony where the honor was announced.

Davis School District serves more than 74,000 students. Official minutes from the Aug. 4 meeting have not yet been posted.