The Austin Independent School District was awarded $493,666 to improve school safety measures, U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced today. The funding comes through the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, which were recently authorized by Sen. Cornyn’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law on June 25, 2022.
“No parent should fear for the safety of their student when they drop them off at school, and no student should be afraid when they walk into the classroom,” said Sen. Cornyn. “In the aftermath of the tragedy in Uvalde, I’m grateful that meaningful solutions are starting to be delivered through this funding to prevent violence, provide training to school personnel and students, and apply evidence-based threat assessments in Texas schools.”
This targeted legislation addresses specific concerns that have led to recent mass shootings, including the need for additional mental health services and school safety resources, Cornyn said.
