School Safety and Support Grant Program

School Safety and Support Grant Program

Overview

During the 2023 session the state legislature passed  House Bill (H.B.) 61 - School Safety Requirements(External Web Content) and allocated $72 million funding for the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) School Safety Center (SSC) to release a one-time School Safety and Support Grant for FY24. This grant will be administered through a competitive grant process to enhance basic physical safety and security in Utah schools.

Application Cycle

Local Education Agencies (LEAs) must submit an application for each recommended school to participate in the School Safety and Support Grant.

  • Awarded funds may be used through FY26 (June 30, 2026).
  • Each school must complete a school safety assessment in order to determine their needs.
  • Funds will be prioritized for LEAs:
    • with schools that have lower student count;
    • that have designated a school safety specialist in each school; and
    • with basic safety and security needs.

The period for application submission closed on September 15, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Contact Information

For all questions related to this program, please e-mail  schoolsafetyprograms@schools.utah.gov(External Web Content).

School Safety Specialist Stipend Grant

Overview

Starting the 2023-2024 School Year,  House Bill (H.B.) 61 - School Safety Requirements(External Web Content) requires that every public primary and secondary school designate a School Safety Specialist (SSS), appointed by the school’s administrator. State leaders recommend that a school administrator not serve as the School Safety Specialist. This new position is intended to support the school administrator, not add to their workload. School administrators may consider appointing the following employees: a teacher, school counselor, school social worker, or school psychologist, among others.

Some of the duties of this position include:

  • Ensuring the school has adopted Standard Response Protocol™.
  • Updating the school’s emergency preparedness and emergency response plan.
  • Conducting behavioral threat assessment as part of the school’s multidisciplinary team.
  • Attend required trainings provided by the Utah State Board of Education School Safety Center.

For additional information regarding roles and responsibilities, see the infographic on the USBE School Safety Center Resource webpage.

Application Cycle

The stipend formula grant will be administered through the Utah Grants Management System as a reimbursement program. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) must complete a Qualtrics survey, the FY24 School Safety Specialist Accountability Report, before an application can be approved.

Every LEA will be allocated funds for each school's designated SSS to receive a stipend of up to $3,000. The final amount that the SSS receives may differ after benefits are withheld. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) will determine the stipend amount with their business administrator. 

Reimbursements will be approved in the Utah Grants Management System after the SSS's information has been submitted and verified through the Qualtrics survey.

Due Date: November 13, 2023, by 5:00 PM

*All School Safety Specialist designations are due by October 31, 2023.

Contact Information

For all questions related to this program, please e-mail  schoolsafetyprograms@schools.utah.gov(External Web Content).