CARBONDALE — U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced over $830,000 in federal grants for East St. Louis, Jefferson County, and Franklin County schools to strengthen security in the classroom. Over 160 jurisdictions nationwide applied and received grants through a Department of Justice School Violence Prevention Program initiative that Bost introduced and had signed into law in 2018.
“When our children and grandchildren are in school, they must have a secure learning environment,” said Bost. “As a father, a grandfather, and a former first responder, school safety is an issue that is very important to me; and I couldn’t be happier to see local school districts utilizing these grants to make their classrooms safer. Getting this legislation signed into law is one of my proudest accomplishments in Congress, and I will continue to champion efforts to keep children and teachers safe at school.”
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East St. Louis School District #189 will use their $239,892 grant for metal detectors and locks, as well as staff training and communications planning. Both the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department ($499,829) and Sesser-Valler Community Unit School District #196 ($90,285) will use their grants to make safety enhancements in the classroom.
Background:
The School Violence Prevention Program provides funding directly to states, units of local government, and Indian tribes to be used to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the grantees’ jurisdictions through evidence-based school safety programs that may include one or more of the following:
- Coordination with local law enforcement
- Training for local law enforcement officers to prevent school violence against others and self
- Placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures
- Acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency
- Any other measure that, in the determination of the director of the COPS Office, may provide a significant improvement in security
