MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Brad Schimel today announced 60 schools and school districts that combined will receive $5,516,732 from the first round of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) School Safety Grant program, including $3,308,665 to Milwaukee Public Schools. Recently, Attorney General Schimel announced plans for a second round of grant funding by utilizing the approximately $45 million in remaining school safety money available. The second round of funding will focus on advanced initiatives to bolster student mental health, the creation of local School Safety Intervention teams, and additional physical security upgrades. K-12 schools, both public and private, are encouraged to apply for the next round of grants, which will be awarded starting in October. Schools interested in applying for the second round of grant funding must submit a mandatory “intent to apply” to the OSS by August 13, 2018.
“To date, 605 schools and school districts have been approved to receive more than $44 million in school safety grant funding, after completing a detailed grant application in partnership with their local law enforcement and safety experts at DOJ,” said Attorney General Schimel. “The teamwork and partnership between all of those involved is a testament to what can be accomplished through good government, collaboration, and a passion to take care of the young people around us.
A list of schools and school districts that were awarded school safety grants on August 2, 2018 is at the bottom of this press release. More grants will be awarded to schools that applied for the first round of grant funding soon. To date, 605 out of 735 applicant schools and school districts have been awarded $44,228,887 in school safety grant funding.
“The safety of our students and staff is a top priority for Milwaukee Public School,” said Dr. Keith P. Posley, interim superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools. “Through this grant, and in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, we will further enhance our safety efforts with physical upgrades and additional training for staff.”
In March 2018, the Wisconsin State Legislature and Governor Scott Walker passed and signed 2017 Wisconsin 143 into law, establishing the DOJ Office of School Safety and providing $100 million for school safety. 735 schools and school districts, 97% of public schools and approximately 40% of private schools statewide, applied for the first round of funds, and all are expected to receive grant funding. Once all first round grant funds are approved, it is estimated that approximately $45 million will remain.
The second round of grant funding, utilizing the remaining $45 million, will advance baseline mental health and physical security improvements made in the first round of grant funding through advanced training for teachers on mental health; the creation of local teams of educators, counselors, and law enforcement to develop School Safety Intervention Teams that will assess threats and identify students in need of support; and additional physical security upgrades. Schools interested in applying for the second round of grant funding must submit a mandatory “intent to apply” to the OSS by August 13, 2018.
Schools applying for the second round of grant funding must agree to send 10 percent of full-time teachers and counselors to DOJ-approved 12-hour Adolescent Mental Health training by August 31, 2020, and schools may use grant funds to pay expenses incurred (tuition, travel, lodging, meals, substitute teacher pay, etc.). Schools applying must also establish a School Safety Intervention Team (SSIT), based on a model set by the U.S. Secret Service, which will engage in behavior monitoring, threat assessments, and intervention. Funding will also be available for more physical security improvements.
Schools and school districts that applied for the first round of grants are eligible for the second round of grants, and will apply for the second round through a simplified grant application process. Schools and school districts that did not apply for the first round of grants are eligible for the second round of grants, but will need to satisfy all prerequisites of the first round and second round of grant funding.
Under the second round of grant funding, grant funding will be awarded on a per-student formula, according to student enrollment as reported to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). No awardee will receive less than $10,000 nor receive more than $2.5 million, in order to ensure all applicants receive sufficient funding to make meaningful physical security improvements. The final award amount will depend on the number and size of schools that apply. Interested schools can find more information on the DOJ Office of School Safety website.
For more information on DOJ’s Office of School Safety, please visit: https://www.doj.state.wi.us/office-school-safety/office-school-safety.
A list of all 735 schools and school districts that have requested grant funds in the first round of grant funding is available on the DOJ website. To date, OSS has reviewed all first-round applications. All schools that applied have either received their awards, or OSS is waiting for a response from the applicant. OSS understands that many delays on the part of applicants may be due to summer vacation and hours.
List of schools awarded grants on August 2, 2018:
- Albany School District, $59,811;
- Argyle School District, $55,450;
- Assumption Catholic School (Durand), $17,692;
- Ave Maria Academy (Pierce), $21,998;
- Beautiful Savior Lutheran School (Waukesha), $21,680;
- Beloit School District, $274,231;
- Bethany Lutheran School (Kenosha), $9,895;
- Cathedral School (Superior), $20,000;
- Catholic Central High (Burlington), $19,876;
- Central City Cyberschool (Milwaukee), $19,928;
- Concordia Lutheran School (Sturtevant), $19,927;
- DeForest Area School District, $102,091;
- Gilman School District, $41,453;
- Green Lake School District, $40,000;
- Hartland-Lakeside J3 School District, $113,130;
- Holy Hill Area School District (Hubertus), $39,171;
- Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Grade (Manitowoc), $15,749;
- Immanuel Lutheran Grade School (Wisconsin Rapids), $19,980;
- Inst of Technology & Academics (Milwaukee), $21,730;
- Johnson Creek School District, $46,550;
- Lakeland School of Walworth County, $1,800;
- Madison Country Day School, $19,961;
- Maranatha Baptist Academy (Watertown), $11,102;
- Mercer School District, $20,300;
- Milwaukee School District, $3,308,665;
- Milwaukee Seventh Day Adventist School, $39,574;
- Most Precious Blood Grade School (New London), $20,000;
- Necedah Area School District, $36,694;
- North Shore Montessori School (Glendale), $17,339;
- Oconto Unified School District, $104,358;
- Palmyra-Eagle Area School District, $80,000;
- Pardeeville Area School District, $24,370;
- Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran School (Menomonee Falls), $19,990;
- Saint Croix Central School District, $32,612;
- Saint Gregory the Great Parish School (Milwaukee), $18,780;
- Saint John the Baptist Catholic School (Plymouth), $17,438;
- Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran School (Manitowoc), $16,809;
- Saint Johns Evangelical Lutheran School (Milwaukee), $19,125;
- Saint Johns Lutheran School (Newburg), $17,185;
- Saint Jude the Apostle Grade School (Wauwatosa), $20,946;
- Saint Paul Lutheran Grade School (Bonduel), $20,684;
- Saint Stephen Lutheran School (Horicon), $14,313;
- Shepherd of the Hills Catholic School (Eden), $21,017;
- Shining Star Christian Schools (Milwaukee), $22,940;
- Somerset School District, $64,020;
- St. Anthony School (Milwaukee), $19,326;
- St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran School (Green Bay), $17,369;
- Star of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran (New Berlin), $20,266;
- The Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee, $66,090;
- Tigerton School District, $42,310;
- Trevor-Wilmot Consolidated School District, $25,087;
- Tri-County Area School District (Plainfield), $39,576;
- Trinity Lutheran School LC-MS (Racine), $20,530;
- Turtle Lake School District, $60,330;
- Unity School District, $45,373;
- Valley Christian School (Oshkosh), $20,653;
- West De Pere School District, $52,438;
- Wild Rose School District, $57,188;
- Woodlands School East, $39,832;
- Woodruff J1 School District, $20,000.
