More than $43,000 in public funding is scheduled to flow into area schools to improve school safety and security.
Awards of school safety training grants totaling more than $12 million statewide were announced Friday by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Bellefontaine was awarded $13,215; Benjamin Logan received $9,390; Indian Lake got $8,260; West Liberty-Salem received $6,604; Riverside was awarded $3,610; and the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center received $2,841.
Each of Ohio’s public schools, chartered non-public schools and any school operated by a county board of developmental disabilities will receive $2,500 or $5.65 per student, whichever is greater, to spend toward school safety programs and training.
In all, more than 1,700 public schools received grant funding of at least $2,500.
Funds may be used for training for school resource officers, security and safety measures and programs to identify and assist any students who may be struggling with mental health difficulties, according to a press release.
Grant funding requires that participating schools and county boards work with law enforcement in their jurisdictions to determine the best use of the grant funding, according to terms of the grant.