566 Missouri school districts received funds from School Safety Grant Program

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) –Today, Governor Mike Parson announced a total of 566 school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools have received grant funds from the second round of funding for the School Safety Grant Program.

“Improving the safety and security of our schools is an issue we can all support, and these grants help ensure our schools remain safe environments for Missouri children to learn,” Governor Parson said. “While threats of violence are something we never want to see in our classrooms, we must be prepared and have proper resources and response plans in place. This second round of school safety grants continues our commitment to doing just that and helping keep kids safe.”

Governor Mike Parson approved an additional $50 million to expand the School Safety Reimbursement Grant Program in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. The grant program aims to support school safety improvements, including physical security upgrades and associated technology (e.g., door locks, monitoring systems), epinephrine auto-injectors, and automatic external defibrillators. This second round of funding was also available to nonpublic schools. An additional 169 school districts and charter schools received $20 million in funding during the first round of grants from the Fiscal Year 2023 budget.

“Missouri families continue to tell education leaders that ensuring their child’s school remains safe and secure is their biggest concern,”  Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven said. “We thank Governor Parson and the General Assembly for their ongoing support and commitment to ensuring our schools remain among the safest places for our students.

Schools applied to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) through a competitive grant application process. The maximum grant amount awarded was $300,000. See grant award totals on DESE’s website.