HANCOCK COUNTY — Hancock County schools received more than $302,000 this year for safety upgrades through the state’s Secured School Safety Grant Program supported by area lawmakers. However, that amount is not as much as some of the schools had received in the past.
State Rep. Bob Cherry (R-Greenfield) said Indiana has allocated $187 million for school safety matching grants since the program started in 2013.
“These grants ensure that schools have the necessary tools and resources to protect their students and staff, creating a safer environment for learning,” Cherry said. “This is another meaningful step forward in protecting our community.”
Area schools receiving grants include Eastern Hancock County Community School Corp., $30,375; Greenfield-Central Community Schools, $81,000; Mt. Vernon Community School Corp., $81,000; New Palestine Community Schools $81,000; and Zion Lutheran School, $28,713.
While thankful for the funding, Greenfield-Central superintendent Harold Olin noted the district received $100,000 in each of the past few years, so this year’s funding is a cut of $19,000.
“We were informed by the DOE (Indiana Department of Education) a few weeks ago that the school safety requests from around the state exceeded the amount that the state had budgeted, so we were anticipating this cut,” Olin said.
Greenfield-Central is using the matching grant to pay for school resource officers.
“In the past, we have used the funds to help us bolster surveillance cameras and to provide some safety training for our staff,” Olin said. “We do spend a lot more than $81,000 on school safety each year, yet it is most simple on the accounting ledger to use the grant funds for one larger expense, and the cost of SROs meets this criteria.”
Olin also noted that if $81,000 is what the state gives toward school safety, the district must spend $81,000 (a matching amount) to get the funding. Olin said the district easily exceeds a quarter of a million on SROs each year.
Eastern Hancock superintendent George Philhower said they are incredibly thankful for the support provided by the Secured School Safety Grant, which helps supplement the salary costs for their School Resource Officer.
“These funds ($30,375) ensure that our SRO can be on our campus every day, building strong relationships with students and staff, and providing a safe and welcoming environment for our entire school community,” Philhower said.
The director of community relations with Mt. Vernon Community Schools, Maria Bond, noted Mt. Vernon has received safety grant funding for many years from the state to support school security, using the matching funds to cover a portion of their SROs’ salaries and benefits.
“With it being a matching grant, we contribute an equal amount from our own budget,” Bond said. “For several years, we received $100,000 annually, but this year, our funding was reduced by $19,000 due to an increase in the number of districts applying.”
Bond said the district remains grateful for the continued grant support to help sustain their school safety efforts as the safety of our schools remains a top priority.
Officials with New Palestine Community Schools say they too will utilize their $81,000 to continue to support their school resource officer staffing.
State Rep. Cory Criswell (R-Middletown) said the funding is part of the state’s biennial budget passed in 2023, which made significant investments in school safety. In all, 499 schools across Indiana’s 92 counties received $24 million total in state matching grants.
“As a former educator, I know firsthand how important a safe learning environment is for our students,” Criswell said. “This funding is crucial for improving school security and ensuring that our schools are places where education and safety go hand in hand.”
State Rep. Chris Jeter (R-Fishers) said funds can be used for a wide range of safety needs like support for resource officers, equipment and technology, active-event warning systems, threat assessments, and student and parent support services programs.
“Every school has their own unique safety needs, and these grants provide a way for them to pay for important security improvements,” Jeter said. “We will continue to support our schools as they work to protect students and staff.”
To learn more about the Secured School Safety Grant Program and what Indiana’s doing to keep schools safe, visit the state’s school safety hub at in.gov/schoolsafety.
