RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced a $16.4 million grant program to improve security infrastructure in “high-need” school districts across Virginia.
According to a release from the Office of the Governor, the Stronger Connections grant program will provide K-12 schools advanced security equipment, threat detection technology and improved communication for emergencies.
According to the release, the grant program prioritizes school districts with an increased risk of violence and chronic absenteeism, as well as those with high student-to-staff ratios.
“Schools have diverse needs, and the Stronger Connections grant program supports a wide array of strategies and tactics, from ‘hardening the target’ through the installation of updated security and surveillance systems to comprehensive planning to develop division-wide approaches for assessing threats and improving learning climates,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera.
School districts will be able to apply for the grant program from June 1 to August 1 on the Virginia Department of Education’s website. More information about the Stronger Connection program can be found here.
