Federal School Safety Grants Aim to Support Local Approaches

The deadline is looming for three U.S. Department of Education grant competitions (FY 2019) that support "locally-tailored" approaches to school safety. All three programs are funded through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

The "Project Prevent" program is intended to help districts and schools build their abilities "to identify, assess and serve students exposed to pervasive violence." Funds from the $10 million competition are expected to be used for providing mental health services for trauma or anxiety, support conflict resolution programs or implement other school-based violence prevention strategies. The deadline to apply for one of these grants is July 15, 2019.

The $40 million "School Climate Transformation" competition is intended to provide funding for development, enhancement or expansion of school programs that are focused on improving learning conditions and promoting positive school culture for all students. The deadline to apply is July 22, 2019.

A $15 million "Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration" grants will go to programs in which high-need districts team up with colleges or universities to expand the pipeline of trained school-based mental health services providers. The partnerships will provide opportunities to place graduate students in school-based mental health fields into schools served by the participating districts, where they'll gain required field work, credit hours, internships and related training. The deadline for applying to that competition is Aug. 5, 2019.

"Ensuring that our nation's schools are safe and nurturing places to learn is critical to the well-being, safety and long-term success of all students," said Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, in a statement. "These grants will support state and local leaders as they develop and implement the school safety solutions that will work best for them."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Quattrocchi Kwok Architects Opens New Office in Denver

    Education planning and design firm Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) recently announced that it has opened a new office in Denver, Colo., the firm’s third overall. QKA is headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., and runs an East Bay Area office in Oakland.

  • University of Illinois Moves Forward with College Sports’ Largest Digital Scoreboard

    The University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., recently announced a series of upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium that will include the largest scoreboard in college sports, according to a news release.