The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Center for Safer Schools has awarded $35 million in safety grants to 230 school districts and charter schools.

The funding will be used for safety equipment, training, and services for students in crisis. Safety equipment covered by this grant includes items such as cameras, vape detectors, radios, and weapons detection systems. Training can include professional development for school leaders to assist students who are experiencing anxiety, trauma, and/or conduct problems. Services made available through this grant can include school-based mental health services.

“Nothing is more important than making our schools safer and more secure, and these grants will continue to play a vital role,” said State Superintendent Catherine Truitt. “This funding will help improve school security in many ways, including updating technology and training to prevent future emergencies.”

A list of school organizations awarded the 2023-24 School Safety Grant funding can be found here. Funding for the hiring and training of school resource officers (SROs) was a continuation of the $33 million in SRO funding awarded in October 2022 for the 2022-23 school year.

In 2018, the North Carolina General Assembly worked with the Department of Public Instruction to launch the School Safety Grant Program. Since then, more than $150 million has been awarded to public school units across the state.

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