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(c)(8) and (11) and (d) of the act 
11of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School 
12Code of 1949, amended November 17, 2010 (P.L.996, No.104), are 
13amended and the section is amended by adding subsections to 
14read:

15Section 1302-A. Office for Safe Schools.--* * *

16(c) In addition to the powers and duties set forth under 
17subsection (b), the office is authorized to make targeted grants 
18to school entities to fund programs which address school 
19violence, including:

1* * *

2(8) Comprehensive, districtwide school safety [and],
3violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards
4plans[.], including revisions or updates to such plans and 
5conducting emergency preparedness drills and related activities 
6with local emergency responders.

7* * *

8[(11) Establishment or enhancement of school security
9personnel, including school resource officers.]

10* * *

11(c.1) <-(1) In addition to the powers and duties set forth
12under subsections (b) and (c), the office is authorized to make
13targeted grants to school entities and to municipalities to fund
14programs which address school violence by establishing or
15enhancing school security, including costs associated with the
16training and compensation of school resource officers and school
17police officers. Municipalities that receive grants under this
18subsection shall, with the prior consent of the governing board
19of the school entity or nonpublic school, assign school resource
20officers to carry out their official duties on the premises of
21the school.

<-22(2) Municipalities may not receive grant funds under this
23subsection for any purpose other than for costs associated with
24school resource officers and are not eligible for other grants
25provided to school entities under this section. In assigning
26school resources officers pursuant to this subsection,
27municipalities shall take into consideration the proportion of
28students enrolled in each school entity or nonpublic school.

29(d) The office shall have the following duties as to 
30targeted grants:

1(1) Targeted grants shall be allocated through a competitive
2grant review process established by the office. School entities
3must satisfy the requirements of this section and section 1303-A
4to be eligible for grants. The application for a targeted grant
5shall include:

6(i) the purpose for which the targeted grant shall be
7utilized;

8(ii) information indicating need for the targeted grant,
9including, but not limited to, school violence statistics;

10(iii) an estimated budget;

11(iv) methods for measuring outcomes; and

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

13(2) The office shall:

14(i) Give priority in grant funding under subsection (c) to a 
15school entity designated as a persistently dangerous school as 
16defined in 22 Pa. Code § 403.2 (relating to definitions).

17(ii) Give priority in grant funding under subsection (c) to
18school entities with the greatest need to establish safety and
19order.

20(iii) To the greatest extent possible, ensure that grant
21funding is geographically dispersed to school entities and 
22municipalities throughout this Commonwealth.

23(3) The office shall provide all targeted grant agreements
24to the Department of Education's comptroller for review and
25approval prior to awarding the grant. The school entity or 
26municipality shall provide the office with full and complete
27access to all records relating to the performance of the grant,
28and shall submit, at such time and in such form as may be
29prescribed, truthful and accurate information that the office
30may require. The office shall conduct a thorough annual

1evaluation of each program for which a grant under this section
2is made. The office shall seek repayment of funds if it
3determines that funds were not utilized for the original stated
4purpose.

5(e) The sum appropriated annually to the Department of
6Education for the purpose of making targeted grants under this
7section shall be allocated as follows:

8(1) <-Twenty-five Forty percent of the sum shall be allocated
9for grants under subsection (c).

10(2) <-Seventy-five Sixty percent of the sum shall be allocated
11for grants under subsection (c.1).

12Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013, or
13immediately, whichever is later.