In the wake of the 2012 Newtown elementary school shooting, an added 435 Connecticut schools will receive extra finances from the state to help fund further security on campus.
During his announcement on Tuesday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said that the state intends to spend $16 million across 75 school districts to pay back the administrations that ramped up security after the school shooting. Connecticut state officials also gave $5 million to 169 schools in 36 districts to help foot the bill for security upgrades. A total of $21 million was given to these academies under the School Security Grant Program passed by the General Assembly two months ago, the Associated Press reported.
"This allows us to continue to get resources out to cities and towns that have begun work to modernize their security infrastructure and ramp up safety procedures at school buildings in the wake of the horrific events on Dec. 14," Malloy told AP, citing the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 20 first grade students and six instructors dead.
Each school was awarded a certain amount of added funds based on an appraisal made at each of the participating campuses. Every municipality taking part in the reimbursement will receive between 20 and 80 percent of the original amount of money spent to heighten security. The state considered each city and town's amount of taxable property and number of need-based students when deciding how to allocate funds.
Project proposals sent to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection included surveillance camera installation, panic alarms, bullet-proof glass and electric locks.
