Northern Tier News

Five public school entities serving Wyoming County students have received School Safety and Mental Health Grants, as announced by Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Wyoming). The grants aim to enhance security systems and provide behavioral health programs in local schools.

"Ensuring the safety of students, faculty and staff is critical, and these state grants will help in that regard by upgrading security systems and providing behavioral health programs in our local schools," stated Pickett. She emphasized her support for funding aimed at increasing safety in Pennsylvania's schools.

The awarded school entities include Lackawanna Trail School District with $118,721, Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18 with $70,000, Susquehanna County Career and Technical Center with $70,000, Tunkhannock Area School District with $140,075, and West Side Career and Technical Center with $70,000.

These noncompetitive grants were sanctioned by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. In total, they distributed $100 million statewide to various educational institutions including 500 school districts, 176 charter schools, 29 intermediate units, and 74 area career and technical schools. Additionally, nearly $20 million in competitive safety grants were allocated to 367 nonpublic schools. These awards complete the $120 million school safety grants program package included in the bipartisan 2024-25 state budget approved by the General Assembly.