Pittsburgh, Pa. − October 30, 2018 − Sen. Jay Costa (D- Allegheny County) today announced that $150,000 in School Safety and Security grants were awarded to school districts in the 43rd district through the School Safety and Security Committee within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
“We must confront the epidemic of gun violence with a comprehensive strategy. These safety grants are one important piece of that strategy,” said Senator Costa. “We’ve seen too many tragedies in our schools, and I believe these grants can help prevent future ones.
Each school district received a $25,000 grant allocation:
- Penn Hills School District
- Pittsburgh School District
- Riverview School District
- Steel Valley School District
- Wilkinsburg Borough School District
- Woodland Hills School District
After Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 44 into law in June of 2018, the School Safety and Security Committee was established. The Committee develops the criteria schools use when performing school safety and security assessments, issues surveys that allow schools to measure their safety and security preparedness and administers grants to schools to improve safety and security.
The Committee established criteria for conducting a security assessment, which is a strategic evaluation of a school’s facilities and programs used to identify potential safety and security threats. Assessments include consideration of the safety and security of a school’s physical environment, climate and behavioral health environment, and related school safety policies and trainings.
Across Pennsylvania, a total of $52.5 million has been allocated to the School Safety and Security Grant Program for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
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