DENVER — The Colorado Senate Wednesday unanimously voted in support of SB13-138, a measure that updates the Colorado Safe Schools Act (C.R.S. 22-32-109.1).
The bill, introduced by Sen. Steve King (R), adds school resource officers (SROs) to the list of community partners that King has organized around school safety over the past three years. Additionally, the bill requires the state to provide grant writing assistance to schools and districts over the next five years. A school safety task force established by King developed a sample three-step model illustrating how a school safety grant writing assistance program could work.
First, a school safety need is determined at the local level. Examples of how the need is determined include risk assessments, after-action reports and announcements about the availability of new funds for specific areas of state or national concern.
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Second, at the local level, the need is expressed to the community in an effort to stimulate community partnering. This process would build on memoranda of understanding, currently required by law, between schools and local response agencies.
Third, with help from the Colorado School Safety Resource Center (CSSRC) within the Department of Public Safety, the need is expressed to funding sources. A professional grant writer would help customize proposals to align them with the objectives of each prospective funding source. The CSSRC would also provide guidance on grant management and long-term sustainability.
“This program will provide consistency in grant applications, create efficiencies of time and effort, and reduce grant writing start-up costs across all our school districts,” King said.
SB13-138 will now move on to the Colorado House of Representatives where it will be carried by Rep. Leroy Garcia (D).
To download the grant writing program summary, click here.
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