Compliance planning
RAY BAUM'S Act planning for school districts
Plan dispatchable location so a 911 call carries the building, floor, and room information responders need to find the caller.
Quick answer
RAY BAUM'S Act addresses dispatchable location for 911 calls. For schools, that means a 911 call should carry enough location detail, such as building, floor, and room, for responders to find the caller. This page describes planning support, not legal advice, built with the requirements in mind.
The situation
What dispatchable location involves
A district address is not enough on a large campus. Responders need to know where in the building the call came from.
Building
Which building on the campus the call originated from.
Floor
The floor or wing, which matters in larger schools.
Room
The specific room or area where possible.
Devices that move
Softphones and mobile devices need location handling planned.
Requirements
What a district should plan for
These elements map to the intent of dispatchable location.
- Location data by building, floor, and room
- Accurate records for fixed devices
- A plan for softphones and mobile
- Updates when rooms or devices change
- Testing of location on 911 calls
- Documentation of the configuration
- Coordination with local 911 where needed
- Periodic review
Recommended approach
How to plan dispatchable location
A structured review keeps location data accurate and current.
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Map locations
Document buildings, floors, rooms, and device placement.
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Tie devices to locations
Associate each device with its dispatchable location.
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Plan for mobility
Decide how softphone and mobile location is handled.
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Test and maintain
Test location on calls and update as buildings change.
Related capabilities
Related pages for district phone planning
School 911 compliance
Emergency calling and dispatchable location planning.
Learn more about School 911 complianceEmergency communication
Plan direct 911 dialing, notification, and location data.
Learn more about Emergency communicationBuyers guide
What to evaluate before replacing a phone system.
Learn more about Buyers guideAll phone system solutions
See every K-12 phone system solution in one place.
Learn more about All phone system solutionsQuestions
Frequently asked questions
Straightforward answers for district technology and operations leaders evaluating a phone system replacement.
Does this make us compliant with RAY BAUM'S Act?
We help districts plan and document dispatchable location with the requirements in mind. We do not provide legal guarantees of compliance. Final decisions belong to the district and its counsel.
What is dispatchable location?
It is the location information sent with a 911 call, such as building, floor, and room, so responders can find the caller.
How specific does location need to be?
The goal is enough detail for responders to locate the caller quickly. On a campus that usually means building and floor, and room where possible.
How is location handled for softphones?
Because softphones can move, the plan defines how their location is set and updated.
How does this relate to Kari's Law?
RAY BAUM'S Act covers dispatchable location, while Kari's Law covers direct dialing and notification. Both are planned together. See our Kari's Law page.
Start with a review of your current phone system
We will look at your current setup, call flow, locations, numbers, and replacement risks so your district can plan the next step with clarity.
Questions before you request a review? Call 908-923-8241.