MCSS FY2024 Grants Update Cont.
School Resource Officer/Adequate Coverage Grant Approximately $6.3M in SRO grant funding was awarded to local school systems and local law enforcement agencies in FY2024. The SRO/Adequate Coverage Grant funds were used to pay for: • Salaries for officers assigned as full-time school resource officers (SROs);
• Overtime pay for officers providing adequate coverage; • Other relevant school safety training designed for SROs; and • Needed equipment.
The SRO Adequate Coverage Grant is a non-competitive, State-funded grant program designed for local school systems and law enforcement agencies located within the State of Maryland. During the 2024 legislative session, Senate Bill 1077 was established to allow the use of the SRO Grant to cover the salaries of School Security Employees (SSEs). This eligibility was included in the FY2025 SRO Adequate Coverage Grant rollout. School Safety Evaluation Grant In FY2024, MCSS administered the School Safety Evaluation grant as a one time grant opportunity for local school systems to conduct a school safety evaluation or address gaps that were identified in a previous evaluation, accordingly. The SSEG was first made available in FY2019. Under Md. Code Ann., Education Article §7-1510, local school systems are required to conduct safety evaluations regularly to: • Identify and, if necessary, develop solutions for physical safety concerns, including issues with building security; and • Identify and evaluate any patterns of safety concerns on school property or at school-sponsored events. Three million dollars was appropriated in FY2024 specifically for public school systems to perform facility assessments; re-evaluate and update their existing safety evaluation tool, policy, or procedures; train staff on the policy, procedures, and use of the tool; acquire software for digital mapping; test communication and video equipment; and overall, implement a sustainable school safety evaluation process that enables the school systems to complete evaluations on all their schools on a regular basis. Additional information is available in the FY2024 Notification of Funding Availability (NOFA).
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