A school's crisis response plan must include which of the following to be most effective?

A crisis response plan's effectiveness hinges significantly on the clarity of roles and responsibilities for each member involved in the plan. Clearly defining responsibilities in advance ensures that every person in the crisis response team understands their specific duties and can act swiftly and smoothly during a crisis. This predefined structure helps to prevent confusion and delays, allowing the response to be executed efficiently. When roles are explicitly articulated, team members can focus on their tasks without uncertainty, which is crucial under the pressure of a crisis situation.

The other options do offer some rationale for team selection and leadership structure, but they do not directly address the critical issue of role clarity that enables effective action during emergencies. Distributing leadership, reporting structures, and selecting long-term employees may all contribute to a cohesive team but are secondary to the foundation of clearly defined responsibilities that ultimately guides everyone’s actions in a crisis.