Every child deserves to be safe at school.

Help me pass "Sky's Law."

My autistic daughter, a kindergarten student with a known tendency to elope, escaped her school campus through a gate that failed to protect her. 5/18/2026 around 1:48 p.m, she was able to enter a drained 10-foot in ground swimming pool, which had  inches of water at the bottom. She remained there unsupervised until approximately 2:02 p.m. No parent should ever receive a phone call about their child being in a dangerous situation that could’ve ended in a tragedy. 

This incident was not just a moment of vulnerability but a systemic failure that could have had deadly consequences. It's clear that current safety measures and funding are insufficient in protecting students, especially those with special needs, like my daughter. To prevent  tragedies from occurring, we are calling for the implementation of "Sky's Law" in Alabama schools.

Purpose

To improve safety protections for children in Alabama schools, especially students with disabilities and children at risk of elopement, by strengthening prevention measures, emergency response procedures, staff training, and accountability standards.

 

Proposed Requirements

 

1. School Safety Fencing

Require 6-foot flat-top aluminum perimeter fencing around school grounds and playgrounds. Chain-link fencing should not be used as the primary protective fencing around student areas because it can become worn, damaged, bent, or climbed more easily.

Playgrounds, outdoor learning spaces, and high-risk exit points should have protective fencing systems designed with child safety in mind. Safe perimeter fencing gives faculty and staff more time to respond during an elopement emergency.

 

2. Gate and Entry Point Inspections

Require routine inspections and rapid repair timelines for gates, fencing, and entry points.

Safety concerns involving damaged fencing, holes, worn structures, or compromised gate systems should receive immediate review and repair.

In my daughter’s case, a gate/fencing issue contributed to her ability to leave the campus. Children cannot wait weeks for safety hazards to be corrected.

3. Door and Gate Safety Systems

Require alarm systems or safety alerts on exterior doors, PE doors, playground exits, and any outdoor exits like gates.

Exterior exits should provide audible alerts when opened to notify staff immediately and provide additional response time.

Schools should implement safeguards designed to prevent elopements and improve emergency awareness all while working around fire hazard safety. 

 

4. Immediate Emergency Response and 911 Notification

If a child elopes, cannot immediately be located, or caught. School emergency procedures need to be put into action.

 911 must be called immediately when a child leaves school grounds or cannot be located safely. Search efforts must begin immediately.

Law enforcement must be provided information without delay.
Emergency Medical Services should respond when a child is recovered after a potentially dangerous situation or when injury cannot be ruled out. All response efforts must be documented.

In my daughter’s case, 911 was not called. Non-emergency was contacted. EMS was not sent to evaluate her, despite being recovered from an extremely dangerous situation.

No child should experience an emergency without immediate emergency response procedures.

 

5. Immediate Parent Notification

Parents or guardians must be contacted immediately if a child elopes or leaves campus.

Notification should happen during the emergency response process not only after a child is found.

In my case, I was not notified until after my daughter had already been located even though it took over 15 minutes to place her back on campus. 

 

6. Incident Reporting and Documentation.

Require written documentation following every elopement incident.

Documentation should include:

Time child was last seen
Location child was last seen
Time child was discovered missing
Search efforts completed
Time parents were notified
Time 911 was called
Time law enforcement arrived
EMS response information
Staff involved
Safety failures identified
Corrective actions taken
Documentation should be completed by schools and responding agencies.

In my case, my daughter's elopement had no documentation done until I asked for an incident report to be written.

7. Staff Training and Emergency Search Procedures.

Require annual staff training regarding:

Autism awareness
Elopement prevention
Emergency response procedures
Search procedures
Missing child protocols
Disability safety awareness
All school staff should understand what to do immediately during a child elopement emergency.

Emergency search procedures should exist statewide for Alabama schools.

 

8. Child Safety Plans

Require individualized safety plans for students with IEPs who are identified as having elopement risk.

Plans should include:

Supervision supports
Outdoor transition planning
Emergency response procedures
Parent collaboration
Regular updates
Additional aides & paraprofessionals should be available when needed to support student safety. It should not take years of paperwork for safety needs to be updated.

 

9. Funding and Infrastructure Improvements

Funding opportunities should be created to improve school safety infrastructure across Alabama.

Funding priorities should include:

Safer perimeter fencing
Playground fencing
Gate alarms
Door safety systems
Sensory-friendly and inclusive playground equipment
Additional staffing support
Emergency safety improvements

If communities can come together to fund major projects, we can come together to protect Alabama’s children.

 

SKYLAR Protocol for Elopements

S — Search immediately
K — Keep exits secured
Y — Yield no delays
L — Law enforcement called immediately
A — Alert guardians immediately
R — Record and review incident response

 

According to the National Autism Association, 91% of U.S. wandering-related fatalities involving autistic individuals were caused by drowning. The organization further reports that, on average, approximately seven children with autism die each month following wandering or elopement, with drowning identified as the leading cause of death in these incidents

 

This incident created a serious safety risk and showed a need for stronger protections for children throughout Alabama.

Please help me fight for the safety and wellbeing of my child and countless others.

Families should be able to trust that children are protected and cared for at school. Let's work together to ensure that no child and no family has to endure what my daughter and I experienced or even worse.  Sign this petition to show your support for "Sky's Law" and protect the vulnerable children in Alabama's educational institutions. Safety must be a right, not a privilege. It should not take a tragedy for changes to be made to protect our children.