As students and teachers start returning to classrooms across the country, school safety is top of mind.

In Pennsylvania, schools and other eligible entities are now able to apply for $120 million in grant funding to make physical security upgrades and strengthen behavioral health support. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee is administering the two new grant solicitations with funding from the 2024-25 state budget.

“Our kids can’t focus on learning if we aren’t meeting the basic need for safety within the walls of their schools and making sure students are in a positive mental and emotional space,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, chair of PCCD and the School Safety and Security Committee.

The committee approved a funding framework to utilize nearly $120 million in state school safety funding, which includes:

• $100 million for noncompetitive FY24-25 School Safety & Mental Health Grants for eligible school entities to meet both physical security and behavioral health needs. Funding is distributed via formula grants to all school districts, charter schools, area career and technical centers, and intermediate units in the state.
• $19.7 million for competitive FY24-25 Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools to support programs addressing school violence and improving school safety and security. Municipalities, law enforcement agencies, and approved security vendors are also eligible to apply to support school security personnel services in all Pennsylvania schools.

Eligible applicants can find information about these solicitations on PCCD’s website here. Applications are due Sept. 26, and awards are slated to be announced in November.

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