Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bill would create competitive school security grants; some districts and associations urge caution amid tight budgets
Summary
The Department of Public Safety sought $10 million in one‑time funds to establish a five‑year school security enhancement grant program. Proponents said the funding would let schools implement assessments’ recommendations; some education groups urged delay because of a lean state budget and asked for more data on unmet needs.
The Department of Public Safety asked the committee to approve House Bill 10‑35, a one‑time $10 million appropriation to create a five‑year competitive grant program for school security enhancements.
Scott Rectemaugh, director of the department’s School Safety Center, said the program would award $2 million per year in grants targeted to K‑12 public and accredited nonprofit schools that have completed a security assessment within the past five years and maintain a behavioral threat assessment team. Eligible uses include access control, surveillance cameras, panic buttons, lighting, locks, fencing and other infrastructure recommended in a security assessment.
Rectemaugh said the state’s School Safety Center has completed about 214 school security assessments to date, provides free threat‑assessment training, and manages an anonymous tip line that has produced dozens of actionable reports. “Research shows that 80 percent of school shootings, someone had prior knowledge but failed to report,” Rectemaugh told the committee, explaining the center’s prevention focus.
Support and concerns
Secretary of Education Joseph Graves and the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association both expressed support, describing the grants as reasonable investments that would help schools implement practical safety upgrades.
Several statewide education groups urged caution. Diana Miller, speaking for the large school group, and Rob Munson of the School Administrators of South Dakota said safety is a top priority, but they asked the committee to weigh the request against other high‑priority needs in a tight budget year. Munson noted wide variation among districts: some schools already lock doors, have resource officers or modern systems; others need help — and $2 million per year spread across dozens of districts yields modest per‑district amounts.
Process and oversight
Brett Garland, the School Safety Center director, described the assessment tool: a Department of Homeland Security‑derived checklist covering seven security categories and roughly 58 questions. Garland said the office provides options for consideration and a written report; the DPS would run a competitive process and audit awarded grants to ensure funds are used for approved security enhancements.
Committee action
Committee members asked about how many schools are eligible (Garland estimated roughly the schools that have had assessments) and whether federal homeland‑security grant programs were already available; Garland said many schools apply for those grants but those programs commonly allocate a portion to law enforcement and regional priorities, leaving limited funds for schools.
The committee deferred action on HB 10‑35 to a later meeting. DPS and education leaders plan to provide additional detail on unmet needs and grant selection criteria before final disposition.
