The Indiana Secured School Safety Board has approved more than $22.9 million in matching state grants, marking the fourth consecutive year of record breaking school safety investments.
The grants will be allocated to 425 schools, which is the largest number of schools to ever apply.
The General Assembly allocated $19 million the past two years for the Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG).
With the addition of $3.9 million in funds unspent from previous grant cycles, Indiana was able to fully fund all eligible requests from schools that applied. The funding will also cover all eligible requests for additional training for School Resource Officers and staff.
With this funding, Indiana has invested more than $132.9 million in school safety since 2013, when the SSSG program was initiated.
Argos Community Schools will receive $40,000 and Bremen Public Schools will receive $45,000. Culver Community School Corporation will receive $100,000 and Plymouth Community School Corporation will receive $27,750.
Triton School Corporation will receive $25,000 and Union-North United School Corporation will receive $49,915.
The Secured School Fund is administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The SSSG issues matching grants for eligible items. Then schools match those funds at a certain level sometimes 25 percent, 50 percent or 100 percent. The match requirement is based on average daily membership of the school district, the total amount of the project or what the request covers.
Eligible items in the grant include funding for school resource officers (SROs) and law enforcement officers in schools. Equipment and technology, active event warning systems, a firearms training course for teachers and staff that choose to allow guns on school property. Threat assessments and to implement a student and parent support services program is also eligible.
The Indiana School Safety Hub also provides schools with a wealth of resources, training opportunities and other information designed to give schools the tools they need to keep students and staff safe.
