Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

South Dakota Receives $2 Million for School Security

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 10/16/19

South Dakota received three grants totaling $2 million to help school districts prevent and address threats of violence.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety received the grants from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance’s STOP School Violence Program.      

“These grants will be incredibly beneficial in our schools and better equip us to provide resources and training in the areas of violence prevention and threat recognition,” Gov. Kristi Noem said in a press release. “While we hope our schools never experience violence, it is important we equip them with the resources they need to enhance safety and prepare teachers and students to recognize potential threats.”

These are the three different grants:

  • $998,000 will help the state establish a School Safety Resource Center. The center will distribute the best practices for school safety, handle requests for threat recognition training, requests for physical security assessments for K-12 school buildings.
  • $500,000 will establish prevention and mental health training programs with the help from mental health professionals.
  • $500,000 will focus on technology and threat assessment solutions for school programs.

The grant money cannot be used to purchase weapons, equipment, or fund salaries for school resource officers. The programs will be run by the state’s Office of Homeland of Security.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.