The Indiana Secured School Safety Board announced Thursday that it will distribute over $26.9 million in matching grants to support 499 school‑safety projects across the Hoosier state. The funding, approved unanimously, will help districts upgrade facilities, purchase equipment, and most importantly, hire and retain school resource officers and other law‑enforcement personnel on campus.
Funding breakdown and priorities
According to the board’s 2026 distribution plan, $19,951,039.07 will go to 332 projects that add or maintain school resource officers and other law‑enforcement officers. An additional $5,206,312.81 is slated for equipment, technology, and hardware upgrades in 118 schools. Smaller allocations include $1,211,608.10 for student and parent support services, $541,513.31 for design and construction updates, $21,597.57 for staff firearms training, and $2,150.00 for a single bullying‑prevention initiative.
Because the total amount of eligible requests exceeded the program’s budget this cycle, the board applied a ranking system that awarded 86% of the requested funds to the highest‑priority items identified by each district. This approach ensures that limited resources are directed toward the most critical safety needs.
Governor Braun’s vision for safer schools
Governor Mike Braun praised the investment, saying, “I want Indiana to set the standard for keeping kids safe at school, and this funding will go directly toward achieving that goal.” He added that the grants, combined with the Office of School Safety he created last year, provide schools with the personnel, training, and tools needed to create safe, welcoming environments for students and families.
The grant program is administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Participating districts must provide a matching contribution of 25%, 50%, or 100% of the grant amount, depending on enrollment size and the type of project. Since its inception in 2013, the Secured School Safety Grant Program has awarded nearly $242 million to Indiana schools.
Local impact and confidentiality
State officials noted that specific security hardware installations and emergency‑plan details for individual schools will remain confidential to protect safety. Nonetheless, the broad allocation of funds signals a continued commitment by state leaders to protect children, support law‑enforcement partnerships, and strengthen the overall learning environment.
School districts throughout Indiana are now preparing to implement the awarded projects, with many expecting to see new officers on campus and upgraded security systems before the start of the 2026‑2027 school year.
Original reporting: 93.1 WIBC (Indianapolis) — read the source article.
