Bulletproof window film. Security cameras. Emergency alert systems.
No, this isn’t a prison shopping list — it’s a list of safety enhancements coming to certain Utah public schools.
The items and modifications are covered through School Safety and Support grant funding, allocated last year under HB61, which aimed to help schools finance critical security improvements, among other school safety initiatives.
The $72 million in state funding was doled out through a “competitive application process” that the Utah State Board of Education’s Safe and Healthy Schools Team oversaw. Preliminary awards were announced early this year.
More than 150 districts and charters vied for a piece of it, according to an open records request. Asks ranged from bleeding kits to front office renovations to improved fencing.
Grant distribution breakdown
Traditional schools received roughly 70% of the $72 million pie, and charters were awarded the remaining 30%, according to a public records request.
The largest amounts went to the following districts:
Davis School District: $4.6 million.
Cache County School District: $3.3 million.
North Sanpete School District: $3.1 million.
Granite School District: $3.1 million.
Kane School District: $3 million.
Davis School District received safety grants for 69 of its 92 schools. The expense requests fell into one of two categories: bulletproof window film and intercom system upgrades, a public records request showed.
“The district chose to focus on these needs because the upgrades can be implemented quickly,” said district spokesperson Christopher Williams.
Across the 69 schools, the district initially asked for more than $400,000 to purchase bulletproof film and roughly $8.9 million for intercom updates — around $9.3 million total.
USBE granted the district about half that, $4.6 million.
The bulletproof film, according to the district’s proposal, will be supplied by 3M Company, a global conglomerate known for producing a wide range of products and technologies. Davis Schools officials, alongside law enforcement, tested a variety of bulletproof window film options, the proposal states.
“We found that the 3M Company has an 8.5 mm security window film that, even with an assault weapon, the glass remained intact after multiple rounds,” it notes.
Because the district received only half its requested grant amount, Davis officials chose not to disclose which schools would receive the upgrades, citing security concerns. But they plan to prioritize schools with the most need, Williams said.
“The district’s plan, over two years, is to use the grant funds at schools with the oldest intercom/security alarm systems, as well as at schools that do not have security film installed,” Williams said. “After those initial two years, the district plans to use its general fund monies within the following three years to bring all other schools up to the same standard.”
Schools that already have those measures in place were not part of the grant process, Williams added.
How much was your school awarded?
Charter school needs
Gateway Preparatory Academy received the biggest award among all the charter schools that applied, around $1.5 million.
The school plans to use the funds to upgrade its building and “technological systems,” among other things, according to its Safety Grant Application.
“These new systems will enhance school access control to doors and data, visitor tracking and clearance, and improve school administration management and response time,” the grant request reads.
Gateway Preparatory Academy’s plan also includes spending $400,000 on bullet-resistant glass; $150,000 for “roofing system” upgrades; and $150,000 for “playground/gate fencing.”
“Installation of better fencing and gate systems will protect students and staff by establishing distinct school boundaries,” the proposal states.
USBE rejected seven proposals based on rubric requirements. Those proposals came from: Real Salt Lake Academy; Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning; Pacific Heritage Academy; Lumen Scholar Institute; Mana Academy; the Nebo School District; and the Salt Lake City School District.
How were schools selected for the grant?
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Security cameras at East High School in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. About $72 million was doled out to different Utah schools this year to help finance critical security improvements, among other school safety initiatives.
Districts and charters had until Sept. 15 to submit their applications, but first, they had to complete a “safety assessment” to determine their needs. One application was required for each school within a district that requested funding.
Since the grant was meant to support “basic physical safety and security” improvements, there were few restrictions on its use. However, schools could not “supplant funds” — use the money toward an existing project — or use funding for “unrelated transportation and travel.”
The USBE used a scoring rubric to determine which schools would receive funding and how much. Schools were given priority if they had lower student counts and if they already had designated safety specialists. Schools were also awarded points based on the quality of their responses and if they had met statutory requirements.
Allowable costs included infrastructure improvements, cameras, security personnel, lighting, locks and other safety measures. Schools have until June 2026 to exhaust their awards.
The money was distributed as Utah lawmakers this year encouraged more teachers to carry guns, passing a bill that created the “Educator Protector Program.” Those who participate receive free classroom-threat response training but must store their firearms in “biometric” gun safes if they don’t actively carry them on campus.
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