How Washington Schools Comply with Alyssa’s Law SB5004

Written By Cory Schruth

In 2025, Washington state enacted ESSB 5004—also known as Alyssa’s Law—to ensure that every public and charter school is equipped with a fast, effective emergency response system. The mandate is clear. The timeline is short. And the consequences of delay are too important to ignore.

What ESSB 5004 Requires from Washington Schools

ESSB 5004 requires that each school district in Washington:

  • Work in collaboration with law enforcement, 911 call centers, and school security teams.

  • Implement an emergency response system that enables the rapid arrival of first responders in the event of a threat or emergency.

  • Ensure the system includes at least one of the following:

    • Panic or alert buttons for staff, administration, and emergency responders.

    • Live video or audio feed accessible to law enforcement and school personnel.

    • Remote control access to doors.

    • Live, two-way communications systems.

    • Or a system that complies with the state building code for emergency response in Group E occupancies.


The law applies to all public schools, charter schools, and state-tribal compact schools.

It also sets a firm deadline: October 1, 2025 — All school districts must submit a progress report on implementation to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

NocTel Now: The Certain and Simple Way to Meet ESSB 5004


More than just meeting the mandate, NocTel Now helps you create a safer, faster-responding school environment—seamlessly without adding additional stress for staff in emergency situations. 

Built with schools in mind, NocTel Now connects administrators, faculty, and first responders in real time with our simple-to-use Action Buttons. 


Our all-in-one emergency alerting and communication platform is designed for K–12 environments. It delivers not only what the law requires, but what your community expects: immediate, coordinated action when every second counts. 

What You Get with NocTel Now

  • Instant Panic Alerting
    Trigger a silent or audible alert instantly—through physical buttons or virtual interfaces. Alerts notify key personnel building-wide or district-wide, satisfying Alyssa’s Law's core emergency signaling requirement.

  • Reliable by Design
    Built on robust 900MHz technology, NocTel Now delivers campus-wide coverage, even through walls, with instant signaling up to 1 mile outdoors—no signal congestion, no lag.

  • Remote Access Control Integration
    Support for lockdown scenarios and controlled door release can be integrated directly into your access control systems.

  • Total Flexibility with Portal
    Monitor device health, customize alert types, and track activity across sites in real time—all from a single, centralized cloud portal.

  • Compliance Built In
    Designed around school safety codes and occupancy regulations to align with local and state mandates.

Why Districts Choose NocTel Now

  • Sets Up in Minutes – NocTel Action Buttons are ready to go right out of the box—easy to understand, quick to set up, and customizable.

  • Simple to Use – Intuitive controls mean minimal training and faster adoption.

  • All-In-One Platform – No disjointed systems or third-party dependencies.

  • Scalable by Design – Future-proof infrastructure that evolves with your safety protocols.

Alyssa’s Law doesn’t ask for interpretation. It asks for implementation. NocTel Now delivers readiness you can rely on.

See how it works—schedule your walkthrough today. 

Cory Schruth