Updated March 16, 2020
Department of Education Support for School Safety Initiatives
Congressional interest in K-12 public school safety and
to school safety (e.g., a health or nutrition education
security has been strong following recent school shootings,
program) or an initiative focused on school safety.
including the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas
High School in Parkland, FL, and Santa Fe High School in
The programs and activities an LEA selects to support in
Santa Fe, TX. Though public school safety and security is
the category of Safe and Healthy Students (§4108) must,
primarily a state and local responsibility, there are several
among other requirements, be used to develop, implement,
federal programs and initiatives that can support these
and evaluate comprehensive programs and activities that
efforts. This In Focus provides an overview of programs
are coordinated with other schools and community-based
and resources administered by the U.S. Department of
services and programs; and foster safe, healthy, supportive,
Education (ED) for improving school safety.
and drug-free environments that support student academic
achievement. Examples of allowable activities in this
Currently Funded Grant Programs
category related to school safety include the following:
ED currently administers two programs that can help state
and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) address
drug and violence prevention programs and activities
school safety concerns. Both programs are authorized
that are evidence based (to the extent that such evidence
under Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education
is reasonably available),
Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds
school-based mental health services,
Act (ESSA; P.L. 114-95).
bullying and harassment prevention programs and
Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
activities,
(SSAE grants, commonly referred to as the “block grant”
program) are authorized under ESEA Title IV-A. The
re-entry/transition programs for justice-involved youth,
purpose of SSAE grants is to improve students’ academic
mentoring and school counseling,
achievement by increasing the capacity of states, LEAs, and
schools to provide all students with access to a well-
school-wide positive behavioral intervention and
rounded education, improve school conditions for student
support (PBIS) programs, and
learning, and improve the use of technology. SSAE grant
training for school personnel in trauma-informed
funds are allocated by formula to each SEA, which must
practices in classroom management and crisis
allocate the majority of the SSAE block grant funds they
management.
receive to LEAs (though they may reserve some funds for
state activities to support LEAs receiving grants). Funds are
While drug and violence prevention activities are only
then suballocated via formula to LEAs. Program
examples of what an LEA might choose to support with
appropriations were $1.21 billion in FY2020.
Title IV-A funds, the Title IV-A program includes a
definition of what constitutes drug and violence prevention
LEAs have substantial flexibility with respect to the use of
in §4102(5). With respect to violence prevention, the term
funds under the SSAE grant program. However, they must
is defined as:
use funds for three broad categories of activities: (1)
supporting well-rounded educational opportunities, (2)
the promotion of school safety, such that students
supporting safe and healthy students (including school
and school personnel are free from violent and
safety initiatives), and (3) supporting the effective use of
disruptive acts, including sexual harassment and
technology to improve the digital literacy of all students.
abuse, and victimization associated with prejudice
and intolerance, on school premises, going to and
If an LEA receives a grant of $30,000 or more, it must
from school, and at school-sponsored activities,
provide assurances that it will use funds toward activities in
through the creation and maintenance of a school
each of the three categories, including at least 20% for
environment that is free of weapons and fosters
activities supporting safe and healthy students. If an LEA
individual responsibility and respect for the rights
receives a grant of less than $30,000, it may choose to use
of others.
its funds entirely toward one of the categories of activities.
In such cases, LEAs may choose to use the entirety of their
National Activities for School Safety are authorized under
SSAE grants toward school safety initiatives, or conversely,
Title IV-F-3, Section 4631 of the ESEA. The National
to use all of their funds for activities under one of the other
Activities for School Safety program authorizes the
two categories. Under either scenario, an LEA may choose
Secretary of Education (hereinafter referred to as the
to support a “safe and healthy student” initiative unrelated
Secretary) to use a portion of its funds for the Project
School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV)
program. Any remaining funds may be used to carry out
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Department of Education Support for School Safety Initiatives
other activities to improve students’ safety and well-being,
implementing school EOPs. In FY2018, ED awarded 11
during and after the school day, through grants, contracts,
five-year GSEMs of up to $750,000, totaling
or cooperative agreements with public and private
approximately $6.3 million in grants.
organizations or individuals, or through agreements with
other federal agencies. Currently funded National Activities
Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration
for School Safety include the following:
Grant Program: In FY2019, ED provided Mental
Health Service Professional Demonstration grants to 27
Project SERV: This program was created to provide
SEAs and LEAs totaling approximately $11.15 million
resources to LEAs and institutions of higher education
to support partnerships that will train school-based
(IHEs) that have experienced a violent or traumatic
mental health service providers to serve in schools
crisis, disrupting the learning environment, such as a
located in high-need LEAs.
school shooting or hurricane. Two types of grants are
awarded: (1) Immediate Services grants, which provide
Other ED Resources on School Safety
short-term support following a traumatic event; and (2)
In addition to grant programs to support school safety, ED
Extended Services grants, which address long-term
maintains resources that could be helpful to policymakers
recovery efforts following a traumatic event. The
who want to understand more about this issue, or parents,
program received $3.76 million in FY2020. In FY2019,
teachers, and school administrators who want to explore
$8.2 million in grants were awarded. Appropriations not
ways to enhance the safety of their local schools and IHEs.
used in the year in which they are appropriated remain
ED operates centers that provide information and technical
available for awards in subsequent fiscal years.
assistance on school safety and produces reports and data
products on school safety and security, including the
School Climate Transformation Grants (SCTGs):
following:
SCTGs are competitive grants provided to SEAs and
LEAs to develop and implement multi-tiered
The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools
decisionmaking frameworks designed to improve school
Technical Assistance (REMS TA) Center, which builds
climate and behavioral outcomes for all students, such
the “preparedness capacity” of schools, LEAs, IHEs, and
as PBIS systems. The first cohort of SCTGs was
their community partners and provides information,
competitively awarded to 12 SEAs and over 70 LEAs in
resources, and services in the field of K-12 and higher
21 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin
education emergency operations planning. The REMS TA
Islands for a five-year period beginning in FY2014. In
Center received $3.1 million in FY2020.
FY2018, a second SCTG–SEA competition awarded
new grants totaling approximately $9 million to 14
The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning
SEAs. A second SCTG–LEA competition awarded
Environments (NCSSLE), which offers information and
grants of $200,000 to $750,000 per year for up to five
technical assistance to states, LEAs, and schools that
years to 69 LEAs in 25 states, totaling nearly $42.4
receive Title IV-A SSAE grants. NCSSLE also provides
million in grants in its first year. Both the second cohort
listings of grants received by each state, as well as by LEAs
SCTG–LEA and SCTG–SEA competitions provided a
within each state, from ED and other federal agencies to
competitive preference priority to programs with plans
support safe and supportive school-based initiatives. The
to support communities impacted by the opioid crisis by
NCSSLE received $1.5 million in FY2020.
providing grants to SEAs and LEAs to implement
school-based opioid-use prevention strategies.
Indicators of School Crime and Safety, which is a report
produced jointly by ED and the U.S. Department of Justice
Project Prevent Grants: Project Prevent awards
(DOJ). This report presents federal data on school
competitive grants to LEAs in communities with
conditions, school crime, and school security measures,
pervasive violence to support students and reduce the
based on information drawn from a variety of data sources,
likelihood that students who have been exposed to
including national surveys of students, teachers, and
violence will later commit violent acts themselves.
principals conducted by ED and DOJ.
Recipients of Project Prevent grants are required to
provide (1) school-based social and emotional supports
Other CRS Resources on School Safety
to victims of violence, (2) access to counseling services
to assist students in coping with trauma or anxiety, and
CRS Report R45251, School Resource Officers: Issues
(3) strategies and activities to improve the school
for Congress
environment and prevent future violence. In 2019, ED
awarded Project Prevent grants to 15 LEAs totaling
CRS In Focus IF10836, Department of Justice Support
approximately $11.3 million.
for School Safety Initiatives
Grants to States for Emergency Management
CRS In Focus IF10882, Department of Homeland
(GSEM): The GSEM grant program is intended to build
Security Resources for School Security and Safety
the capacity of SEAs to support LEAs in the
development and implementation of school emergency
CRS In Focus IF10910, Student Support and Academic
operations plans (EOPs) to address both natural and
Enrichment (SSAE) Grants
man-made threats. States use GSEMs to provide LEAs
with training and technical assistance on developing and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Department of Education Support for School Safety Initiatives
Rebecca R. Skinner, Specialist in Education Policy
Kyrie E. Dragoo, Analyst in Education Policy
IF10992
Disclaimer
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10992 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED