Board pauses final action on school security officer grant; asks for fuller briefing

The board deferred final action on a federal grant to fund five School Security Officer (SSO) positions after multiple supervisors expressed concerns and asked for additional briefings with the superintendent. Staff described the award as a multi-year federal grant that covers a majority of the positions' cost; the school division would provide a local match and evaluate whether to continue funded positions once the grant expires.

Supervisors pressed staff for clarity on how SSOs differ from sworn School Resource Officers (SROs), what training and duties SSOs will perform, who they will report to inside the school division, and what obligations the county might face if grant funding ends. Dr. Jim Carroll, York County School Division superintendent, had earlier told the board that aging school facilities create capital and operational demands; several supervisors said they support measures to improve school safety but need a clearer plan for oversight and long-term funding before the county commits to ongoing positions.