The Indiana Secured School Safety Board has approved $19 million in matching state grant funds to invest in school safety improvements.
The $19,058,808 in awards will be used to fund all eligible projects submitted by 392 schools in their applications to the Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG) program, reports WBIW. The General Assembly has allocated $19 million to the grant fund each of the past three years.
“Hoosier students and staff should be able to go to school with the confidence and comfort of knowing they are safe and protected from harm. This program represents the state’s commitment to that mission,” said Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “With help from the General Assembly, we are able to support every school that applied with initiatives they have identified to make their schools safer.”
The Secured School Fund is managed by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The SSSG program issues matching grants for eligible items and schools then matches those funds at either 25%, 50%, or 100%. The match requirement is based on the average daily membership of the school district, the total amount of the project, or what the request covers.
“The Secured School Board is proud to maintain strong support for school safety, despite the challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic. This commitment identifies school safety as a top priority in Indiana, and these funds will have a direct impact on all staff and students across the state,” said Director Rusty Goodpaster.
According to IN.gov, eligible items include funding for school resource officers (SROs) and law enforcement in schools, threat assessments, security equipment, and startup costs for an active alert warning system, among other things.
As of July 1, 2021, to be eligible for funding, schools were required to have completed a threat assessment, and have a memorandum of understanding in place with a community health center or hire a licensed mental health professional.
The latest allocation for FY22 includes:
- $13,440 for SROs/LEOs
- $4,926,399 for safety and security equipment
- $642,369 for student and parent support services programs
- $43,678 for active event warning services
- $6,233 for training
