Indiana school districts face matching costs after state approves $26.9M in safety grants
The Indiana Secured School Safety Board approved more than $26.9 million in matching grants for 499 projects, with nearly $20 million earmarked for school resource officers and law enforcement on campus. Local districts must provide required matches of 25%, 50% or 100% depending on enrollment and project type.
The Indiana Secured School Safety Board unanimously approved distributing more than $26.9 million to fund 499 school safety projects statewide, the board said. Administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the grants fund security personnel, facility upgrades and equipment. The largest share—$19,951,039.07 across 332 projects—was allocated for hiring and maintaining school resource officers and law enforcement personnel on school grounds.
Because total eligible funding requests exceeded the program’s budget, the board prioritized applicants’ top-ranked needs and granted 86% of requested funds for highest-priority items, the release said. The 2026 distribution also included $5,206,312.81 for equipment, tech and hardware (118 projects), $1,211,608.10 for student and parent support services (32 projects) and $541,513.31 for design and construction updates (11 projects).
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