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Connecticut was one of 12 states to receive a School Climate Transformation grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
The two grants are part of new programs included in President Barack Obama’s 'Now is the Time' initiative, a plan to make schools safer, reduce gun violence and increase mental-health services. The initiative was launched in January 2013 in the wake of events at Sandy Hook Elementary and across the country.
The $3.3 million grant is intended to expand the state's infrastructure for supporting effective schoolwide positive behavior practices, with a particular focus on providing support to low-performing schools.
“This grant will greatly impact the state’s ability to support our local efforts to create positive and healthy school climates where all our students thrive and where those in need of help receive it,” Malloy said.
The School Climate Transformation program has three aims: connecting children, youths and families to appropriate services and support; improving conditions for learning and behavioral outcomes for school-age children and increasing awareness of and the ability to respond to students' mental health issues.
The state also received a School Emergency Management grant of almost $300,000. It will enable the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to provide additional training and technical support for the development and update of schools' emergency operations plans.
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