$20 Million School Security Grant Program Proposed In BurlCo

Burlington County has launched a $20 million grant program to help enhance the safety and security of schools throughout the county, officials announced.

“As an elected official, I refuse to standby and do nothing while we wait for the next Parkland or Sandy Hook,” Burlington County Freeholder Director Kate Gibbs said. “That is why today we are launching a $20 million county grant program that encourages all 21 public high schools in Burlington County to invest in making their school buildings safer and more secure. As far as we know, this program is the first of its kind in the state, and maybe in the nation. If so, we are proud to be the model for how we can better protect students and teachers from unthinkable tragedy.”

The $20 million number is equal to half of the county’s annual capital budget. The county’s finance team felt confident it could prioritize this initiative now and defer smaller projects so there would be no impact to county property taxes, according to officials.

Gibbs was joined by members of law enforcement and many Burlington County School Superintendents at Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly during a press conference announcing the initiative on Tuesday.

School districts that wish to participate in the program will apply to the county and agree to a security evaluation by a highly-qualified architectural firm. The evaluations will identify areas in which enhancements are needed in each individual district, and the grant will be used to cover those costs.

Things school districts could use the grant money to pay for include new entrance vestibules, scan card systems, portable screening devices, panic alarms, entry buzzers and security cameras, to name a few.

The county said it will not use the program to dictate or mandate safety procedures, staff guidelines, or other considerations best left up to the individual school districts.

The program may be expanded to middle schools and elementary schools after every high school has the chance to apply.

“Our school buildings should be safe places where students can learn, educators can teach, and parents can feel comfortable sending their children every morning – anything less is unacceptable,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs added that, according to published reports, there have been 300 shooting incidents at schools across America in the last five years, with far too many occurring at high schools.

Every high school in the county would be eligible for the grants. The proposed program was to be considered by the Burlington County Freeholder Board Wednesday night, according to the Burlington County Times.

On average, there has been one school shooting every week in 2018, according to CNN. The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, has elicited a stronger response nationally than the school shooting that came before it, and there have been 18 school shootings since the Feb. 14 mass shooting.

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