The New Franklin school district has been awarded $100,000 for school security improvements. On Monday, Governor Mike Parson announced 169 Missouri school districts and charter schools have received grants from the newly created School Safety Grant Program. 

“Improving the safety and security of our schools is an issue we can all support, and these grants help ensure our schools remain safe environments for Missouri children to learn,” Governor Parson said. “While threats of violence are something we never want to see in our classrooms, we must be prepared and have proper resources and response plans in place.”

The grant program supports school safety improvements, including physical security upgrades and associated technology in school facilities (e.g., door locks, monitoring systems), bleeding control kits, and automatic external defibrillators. The $20 million grant was part of Governor Parson’s Fiscal Year 2023 early supplemental budget request. Governor Parson’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal includes an additional $50 million for the program if approved by the General Assembly.

“Funding to support safety helps ensure schools remain among the safest places for our students,” Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven said. “These grant funds to support the physical safety of schools are an important part of ensuring our students have a safe environment for learning and growing.”

School districts and charter schools applied to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) through a competitive grant application process for a maximum grant amount of $900,000 for districts/schools with the largest student populations.

New Franklin Superintendent Benji Dorson said the money will provide upgrades to the district’s surveillance camera system, additional cameras and software for the campus and busses, and communications tools such as walkie-talkies and intercom upgrades.