(Statehouse) – Thirty schools throughout Southeastern Indiana recently received more than $2.2 million total through the state’s Secured School Safety Grant Program, according to area lawmakers.
State Rep. Lindsay Patterson (R-Brookville) said the funding is part of the state legislature’s significant investments this year in school safety, which totaled $29.8 million in state matching grants across 474 schools in Indiana.
“As a mother, the safety of our state’s children is always on my mind,” Patterson said. “These grants help to ease some of that worry for Hoosier parents by providing each school with funding to boost and implement their safety plans.”
Local schools receiving grants include:
- Batesville Community School Corp., $100,000;
- Decatur County Community Schools, $100,000;
- Franklin County Community School Corp., $100,000;
- Greensburg Community Schools, $87,592;
- Jac-Cen-Del Community School Corp., $50,000;
- Milan Community Schools, $25,000;
- Oldenburg Academy, $15,000;
- Saint Louis Catholic School, $40,000;
- Saint Michael School – Brookville, $21,982;
- Southeastern Career Center, $50,000;
- Sunman -Dearborn Community School Corp., $100,000; and
- South Ripley Community School Corp., $88,610.
Funds can be used for a range of safety needs like support for resource officers and law enforcement officers in schools, equipment and technology, active-event warning systems, threat assessments, and student and parent support services programs.
“Whether it’s hiring a school resource officer, installing new security technology, or creating emergency plans, Secured School Safety Grants can help cover many of these vital investments,” said State Rep. Jennifer Meltzer (R-Shelbyville). “As a mom, I was proud to support the expansion of this program to greater empower school districts to continuously work toward further protecting our schools, our students, and teachers.”
“These grants provide schools needed funding to help keep children and staff safe,” said State Rep. Alex Zimmerman (R-North Vernon). “These are great investments that help school districts of all sizes.”
In 2023, the Indiana General Assembly expanded the list of possible uses for the grants to include help covering the costs of much-needed technology upgrades, and to have better coordination with local government and law enforcement.
Hoosier schools have received about $163 million in school safety matching grants since 2014.
To learn more about the Secured School Safety Grant Program and what Indiana’s doing to keep schools safe, visit the state’s school safety hub at in.gov/schoolsafety.
