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The program was initially created last year as part of the legislation on gun violence prevention, mental health and school safety.
“Providing safe learning environments for our students and educators is a basic responsibility of state and local governments,” Malloy said in a statement. “Last year, we secured funding to support grant requests for security upgrades at 604 schools - every school that applied. This year, I am proposing to expand eligibility to all public schools that need additional resources to modernize security infrastructure.”
The program secured $21 million in funding in 2013 to and was open to district-run community and magnet schools. The new plan would expand eligibility to all public schools, including technical and inter-district magnet schools.
"Ensuring the safety of Connecticut's schools is our most fundamental obligation. Governor Malloy’s proposal will provide further assistance to public schools in the wake of Sandy Hook, bolstering local efforts to strengthen and modernize school security,” State Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor said in a statement.
“We are grateful that the Governor continues to recognize the importance of supporting districts' and municipalities' efforts to strengthen school security.”
The matching-grant grant program is administered by the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. State funding is used to reimburse municipalities for a portion of the costs associated security infrastructure improvements such as the installation of surveillance cameras, bullet proof glass, electric locks, buzzer and card entry systems, and panic alarms.
Awards are based on a school security assessment survey conducted by each local school district that applies. Each municipality will be reimbursed 20 percent to 80 percent of the costs according to town's wealth.
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