Utah State Board backs UF/Safe Schools for Alex in bid to fund school-safety dashboard required by HB 84

The Utah State Board of Education voted 12–3 on a motion to direct staff to issue a letter supporting the University of Florida and Safe Schools for Alex in applying for a Department of Justice grant that—if awarded—would fund an interactive school-safety dashboard to fulfill requirements in House Bill 84 (2024). Chair Moss put the motion, which Brent Strait seconded, and the board approved it with three members voting no.

Board members said the decision was driven in part by the lack of state funding to build the interactive element of the dashboard and by an expedited grant timeline from the U.S. Department of Justice. Board staff and outside guests described the grant as a three-year opportunity that would make Utah a beneficiary of a roughly $2,000,000 award administered by the University of Florida and implemented by Safe Schools for Alex.

Why it matters: House Bill 84 requires an interactive comparison tool that lets the public view school-level safety and discipline indicators. Board and staff members said the state already collects the underlying discipline and law-enforcement data for schools but lacks the internal time, staff and budget to convert that information into the interactive format the law envisions.

"The most important thing is that if the students and the staff don't make it home to their families every day, nothing else matters," said Max Schachter, founder and CEO of Safe Schools for Alex, during public comment. Schachter described the Florida work following Parkland and said dashboards can increase transparency and…