Caldwell County Schools received more than half a million dollars ($594,000) for safety equipment, school resource officers and services for students, funded by the Department of Instruction’s Center for Safer Schools, which awarded school districts and charter schools across North Carolina more than $74 million in safety grants.

“School safety is a top priority, and we will continue to add safety measures to ensure that all students are learning in a safe and caring school environment,” said Superintendent Dr. Don Phipps. “We extend our gratitude to the Center for Safer Schools and the Department of Public Instruction for providing these funds in support of our efforts to always keep students and staff safe.”

All school districts and charter schools that applied for grant funding for the 2022-23 school year received a safety grant.

“The School Safety Grant enhances schools’ efforts to keep our students safe,” said Karen W. Fairley, executive director of the Center for Safer Schools. “We’re thankful that we have the funding available to distribute, and we know it will go to good use.” 

In 2018, the General Assembly launched a new School Safety Grant Program to improve safety in public school units by providing grants for school resource officers, services for students in crises, training to increase school safety, safety equipment in schools and additional school mental health support personnel. 

Since then, more than $120 million has been awarded to public school units across North Carolina. 

For a full list of districts and schools awarded grants go here