AN ACT

 

1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," in safe schools, further providing
6for Office for Safe Schools and providing for allocation of
7certain appropriated funds.

8The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9hereby enacts as follows:

<-10Section 1. Section 1302-A(d) of the act of March 10, 1949
11(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
12amended November 17, 2010 (P.L.996, No.104), is amended and the
13section is amended by adding subsections to read:

<-14Section 1. Section 1302-A(c)(8) and (11) and (d) of the act
15of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School
16Code of 1949, amended November 17, 2010 (P.L.996, No.104), are
17amended and the section is amended by adding subsections to
18read:

19Section 1302-A. Office for Safe Schools.--* * *

<-1(c) In addition to the powers and duties set forth under 
2subsection (b), the office is authorized to make targeted grants 
3to school entities to fund programs which address school 
4violence, including:

5* * *

6(8) Comprehensive, districtwide school safety [and],
7violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards
8plans[.], including revisions or updates to such plans and 
9conducting emergency preparedness drills and related activities 
10with local emergency responders.

11* * *

12[(11) Establishment or enhancement of school security
13personnel, including school resource officers.]

14* * *

15(c.1) In addition to the powers and duties set forth under
16subsections (b) and (c), the office is authorized to make
17targeted grants to school entities and to municipalities to fund
18programs which address school violence by establishing or
19enhancing school security, including costs associated with the
20training and compensation of school resource officers and school
21police officers. Municipalities that receive grants under this
22subsection shall, with the prior consent of the <-governing board
23of the school entity or nonpublic school, assign school resource
24officers to carry out their official duties on the premises of
<-25nonpublic schools the school.

26(d) The office shall have the following duties as to 
27targeted grants:

28(1) Targeted grants shall be allocated through a competitive
29grant review process established by the office. School entities
30must satisfy the requirements of this section and section 1303-A

1to be eligible for grants. The application for a targeted grant
2shall include:

3(i) the purpose for which the targeted grant shall be
4utilized;

5(ii) information indicating need for the targeted grant,
6including, but not limited to, school violence statistics;

7(iii) an estimated budget;

8(iv) methods for measuring outcomes; and

9(v) any other criteria as the office may require.

10(2) The office shall:

11(i) Give priority in grant funding under subsection (c) to a 
12school entity designated as a persistently dangerous school as 
13defined in 22 Pa. Code § 403.2 (relating to definitions).

14(ii) Give priority in grant funding under subsection (c) to
15school entities with the greatest need to establish safety and
16order.

17(iii) To the greatest extent possible, ensure that grant
18funding is geographically dispersed to school entities and 
19municipalities throughout this Commonwealth.

20(3) The office shall provide all targeted grant agreements
21to the Department of Education's comptroller for review and
22approval prior to awarding the grant. The school entity or 
23municipality shall provide the office with full and complete
24access to all records relating to the performance of the grant,
25and shall submit, at such time and in such form as may be
26prescribed, truthful and accurate information that the office
27may require. The office shall conduct a thorough annual
28evaluation of each program for which a grant under this section
29is made. The office shall seek repayment of funds if it
30determines that funds were not utilized for the original stated

1purpose.

2(e) The sum appropriated annually to the Department of
3Education for the purpose of making targeted grants under this
4section shall be allocated as follows:

5(1) Twenty-five percent of the sum shall be allocated for
6grants under subsection (c).

7(2) Seventy-five percent of the sum shall be allocated for
8grants under subsection (c.1).

9Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013, or
10immediately, whichever is later.