Harrisburg, PA — Today, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) approved nearly $20 million in competitively awarded school safety grants for nonpublic schools and municipalities, law enforcement agencies and approved security vendors supplying school security personnel services to schools. The awards announced today complete the $120 million school safety grants program package appropriated in the bipartisan 2024-25 budget.
The Shapiro-Davis Administration has made it a priority to drive out this funding to schools as quickly as possible – and these resources are already supporting student mental health and safety across the Commonwealth. School districts across Pennsylvania have put the state’s investments towards addressing security gaps and improving available mental health resources. For instance, Conemaugh Township hired new school police officers and mental health clinicians and Bellefonte Area School District invested in safety upgrades like new radios and equipment for security staff and school social workers. In addition to school districts, these funds also support career and technical education centers, such as the Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center, charter schools, intermediate units, and nonpublic schools.
“I’ve listened to our kids as they’ve told me about their mental health struggles – that’s why my Administration is getting real help to students all across Pennsylvania quickly,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “The resources secured in the 2024-25 bipartisan budget will give students better access to mental health supports and ensure that schools can upgrade technology and security measures to protect students, staff, and visitors. My Administration will continue to bring people together to get stuff done to solve problems and address the needs of folks across our Commonwealth.”
“Our kids can’t focus on learning if we aren’t meeting the basic need for safety within the walls of their schools and making sure students’ mental health needs are met,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, chair of PCCD and the School Safety and Security Committee. “This program is more than funding—it’s about investing in the well-being of our kids and giving peace of mind to their families and school staff who are dedicated to helping them learn and grow. The Shapiro-Davis Administration is committed to helping schools create spaces where students feel protected, valued, and ready to learn."
The FY 2024-25 school safety grants package provides $120 million through the following two solicitations:
- Competitive FY24-25 Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools. Under this solicitation, 367 applications were approved totaling $19,665,000. The purpose of this funding is to support programs addressing school violence and improving school safety and security. In addition to nonpublic schools, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, and approved security vendors were also eligible to apply for funding to support school security personnel services in all Pennsylvania schools.
- Noncompetitive FY24-25 School Safety & Mental Health Grants. Under this solicitation, 779 public school entities— 500 school districts, 176 charter schools, 29 Intermediate Units, and 74 area career and technical schools— received a combined total of $100 million in formula grant funding to address both physical security and behavioral health needs.
View a full list of awards, including dollar amount and entities approved for funding, on PCCD’s School Safety and Security webpage.
These investments help advance the School Safety and Security Committee’s goal of ensuring that all Pennsylvania students can learn in safe, healthy school environments by helping school entities address basic safety needs and mental health services identified in the Committee’s Revised Baseline Criteria Standards.