Federal Grants Support Local Approaches to School Safety

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/09/19

The U.S. Department of Education is now accepting applications for three fiscal-year 2019 grant competitions that support "locally-tailored" approaches to school safety.

The "Project Prevent" program is intended to help districts and schools build their abilities "to identify, assess and serve students exposed to pervasive violence." Funds from the $10 million competition are expected to be used for providing mental health services for trauma or anxiety, support conflict resolution programs or implement other school-based violence prevention strategies. The deadline to apply for one of these grants is July 15, 2019.

The $40 million "School Climate Transformation" competition is intended to provide funding for development, enhancement or expansion of school programs that are focused on improving learning conditions and promoting positive school culture for all students. The deadline to apply is July 22, 2019.

A $15 million "Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration" grants will go to programs in which high-need districts team up with colleges or universities to expand the pipeline of trained school-based mental health services providers. The partnerships will provide opportunities to place graduate students in school-based mental health fields into schools served by the participating districts, where they'll gain required field work, credit hours, internships and related training. The deadline for applying to that competition is Aug. 5, 2019.

"Ensuring that our nation's schools are safe and nurturing places to learn is critical to the well-being, safety and long-term success of all students," said Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, in a statement. "These grants will support state and local leaders as they develop and implement the school safety solutions that will work best for them."

All three programs are funded through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • AI-powered individual working calmly on one side and a burnt-out person slumped over a laptop on the other

    AI's Productivity Gains Come at a Cost

    A recent academic study found that as companies adopt AI tools, they're not just streamlining workflows — they're piling on new demands. Researchers determined that "AI technostress" is driving burnout and disrupting personal lives, even as organizations hail productivity gains.

  • laptop displaying a glowing digital brain and data charts sits on a metal shelf in a well-lit server room with organized network cables and active servers

    Cisco Unveils AI-First Approach to IT Operations

    At its recent Cisco Live 2025 event, Cisco introduced AgenticOps, a transformative approach to IT operations that integrates advanced AI capabilities to enhance efficiency and collaboration across network, security, and application domains.

  • sunlit classroom with laptops on every desk, each displaying a glowing AI speech bubble icon above the screen

    Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot to Become Available for Teen Students

    This summer, Microsoft is expanding availability of its Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot products for students aged 13 and older. Administrators will be able to grant access for students based on their institution's plans and preferences, the company announced in a blog post.

  • colorful geometric illustration features gaming devices, computer accessories, and stacks of books

    Gaming in K–12 Classrooms Is Powering the Future Tech Workforce

    Today's most forward-thinking schools are using gaming as a platform to train students for real-world roles in fields like aviation, robotics, remote operations, and data center management.