Louisiana Department of Education to Issue Grants to Increase School Safety

The Louisiana Department of Education plans to issue grants statewide to increase school safety.  ABC 31 News’ Joel Massey has more on what’s in store for some schools in the state.

The Louisiana Department of Education is launching a grant program for schools to use towards funding a single point of entry for their campus to increase student safety.

Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley said, “So the safety of our students and employees across Louisiana is paramount.  What we’re trying to do here is take one-time funds, $21 million that we’ve received, and utilize it for access control in the school facilities across the state of Louisiana.”

According to Brumley they want to provide 42 schools, half-million-dollar grants that can be used for creating single points of entry, security cameras, metal detectors, new locks and parameter fencing.

“We have schools across the state that are old, and they were not built with safety in mind.  Now new construction safety is at the forefront but what we believe these funds can do is harden our parameters.”

Rapides Parish Resource Officer Supervisor Travis Davidson says improving security at many of Rapides Parish’s aging schools is important.

“When we do our assessments those are one of the things that we look at, controlled points of entrance, and if you notice our schools were built a long time ago and they’re part of communities.  But with the change in demographics and the things that we see the landscape of crimes being committed at school this would allow them to really have a controlled access point that gives them the ability to screen each and every person that comes through our schools and allow them to also be able to deal with whatever issue that we have if it arises.”

The state received the $21 million for the grants from the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022.  Schools have about a month or so to submit an application for the awards.