AC Valley pursues $500,000 PA Smart grant and seeks $111,000 in school safety funding

Administrators told the Allegheny‑Clarion Valley School District board they have submitted a PA Smart competitive grant application (due Nov. 8) seeking $500,000 to expand computer‑science, STEM and career‑and‑technology education and to broaden work‑based learning and dual‑enrollment opportunities.

"This grant is meant to work on a larger scale by helping with our co‑op partnerships," an administrator (speaker S8) said, noting partnerships with the Clarion County Career Center and the district’s interest in increasing computer‑science course access.

At the same time the district reported it has applied for a school safety and mental‑health grant with an allocation of roughly $111,000. The application proposes using funds to hire a second full‑time school police officer and to fund a mental‑health specialist for the district if the grant is approved, the administrator said.

Officials also reviewed other federal and formula grants: ESSER set‑aside funds are nearly spent (about $3,000 remaining), Title I allocations for the Westview program are roughly $89,000 for the coming year (with 15–30% of that earmarked for transition services), and the consolidated Title application for 2024–25 has been submitted and is under review.

Board members endorsed the grant applications and asked staff to continue developing implementation plans and partnerships that would be required if awards are received. The district will report back to the board when grant decisions are announced or if the applications require local matching funds or additional board approvals.