Governor Northam awards $6 million in new school security equipment grants

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today awarded $6 million in School Security Equipment Grants to protect students and teachers in 102 school divisions and the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind. The grants will pay for video monitoring systems, metal detectors, classroom locks, electronic-access controls, visitor-identification systems, direct communications links between schools and law enforcement agencies, and other security upgrades in 443 schools and other instructional facilities.

“Since its inception in 2013, the school security equipment grant program has funded nearly 2,900 new projects and system upgrades to ensure the safety Virginia students and educators,” said Governor Northam. “These grants are a key component of the Commonwealth’s comprehensive approach to protecting schools.”

The criteria for making the awards — developed by the Virginia Department of Education and the state Department of Criminal Justice Services — give priority to schools most in need of modern security equipment, schools with relatively high numbers of offenses, schools with equipment needs identified by a school security audit, and schools in divisions least able to afford security upgrades.

“Student safety is always the number one priority of the educators and support personnel in our schools,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane. “These grants allow schools to purchase the improvements and technology needed to address the findings of annual security audits.”

The divisions awarded the school security equipment grants are as follows:

• Warren County — $62,814 for E. Wilson Morrison Elementary, Ressie Jeffries Elementary and Skyline Middle School
• Shenandoah County — $99,289 for Ashby Lee Elementary, Sandy Hook Elementary and W.W. Robinson Elementary
• Rappahannock County — $15,634 for Rappahannock County High
• Frederick County — $18,781 for Apple Pie Ridge Elementary, Bass-Hoover Elementary, Indian Hollow Elementary, James Wood High, James Wood Middle, Middle School Alternative Program, Middletown Elementary, Millbrook High and Robert E. Aylor Middle