Bernstine Announces State Funding for School Safety Enhancements at Area School Districts

ELLWOOD CITY – Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) today announced the School Safety and Security Committee has awarded $53.7 million in School Safety and Security Grants to school districts, vocational schools, intermediate units and charter schools across the state.

The 17-member committee within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency was created as part of Act 44 of 2018, a comprehensive school safety law passed in 2018. One of its duties is to help distribute both meritorious and competitive grants.

“As parents and as a community, our first priority is the safety of our children,” said Bernstine. “I’m pleased we are able to bring home the funds to create an even better and safer learning environment for our teachers and kids.”

PA State Representative Aaron Berstine

Those receiving grants locally are:

• Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit – $140,454 for security planning and purchase of security-related technology and institution of student, staff and visitor identification systems, including criminal background check software.
• Big Beaver Falls Area School District – $35,000 for conflict resolution or dispute management and school-wide positive behavior support.
• Blackhawk School District – $40,000 for counseling services for students.
• New Brighton Area School District – $40,000 for counseling services for students.
• Riverside Beaver County School District – $357,750 for safety and security assessments and school-wide positive behavior support.
• Slippery Rock Area School District – $35,000 for safety and security assessments and conflict resolution or dispute management.
• Ellwood City Area School District – $35,000 for districtwide school safety, violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards plans, as well as costs associated with the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers.
• Laurel School District – $30,000 for costs associated with the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers.
• Mohawk Area School District – $35,000 for security planning and purchase of security-related technology.
• New Castle Area School District – $40,000 for security planning and purchase of security-related technology, and costs associated with the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers.
• Wilmington Area School District – $30,000 for security planning and purchase of security-related technology.

Activities and items allowed include performing school safety assessments; purchasing security-related technology and equipment; supporting school safety-related and behavioral-health trainings; preparing all-hazards plans; hiring school resource officers, school police officers, school counselors, social workers and school psychologists; and providing for trauma-informed approaches to education.

Questions about this or any legislative issues may be directed to Bernstine’s office at 724-752-2120.

Representative Aaron Bernstine
10th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Rick Leiner
717.260.6437 (office)
Rleiner@pahousegop.com
RepBernstine.com / Facebook.com/RepBernstine