School Safety Enhancement

The U.S. Department of Education, administered through the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is soliciting applications for the School Safety Enhancement program to provide competitive grants to State Educational Agencies for developing and strengthening statewide school safety systems. Awards are anticipated to range from $500,000 to $5,000,000 per 36-month project period, with an estimated 30 awards granted. Applicants must submit proposals electronically through Grants.gov by the deadline of July 28, 2026, using a unique entity ID registered in SAM.gov and adhering to strict formatting guidelines including a 15-page project narrative, a 2-page abstract, and supporting documents such as resumes, letters of support, and certifications. The program prioritizes evidence-based infrastructure improvements such as upgraded interior door locks, perimeter controls, visitor screening systems, emergency communication enhancements, and updates to emergency response plans, with performance measured by the cumulative number of schools implementing these measures and the number of personnel trained in active threat response. Evaluation is conducted using a weighted trade-off scoring system totaling 100 points, prioritizing project design quality, management feasibility, resource adequacy, and the strength of evaluation methods. Funding must align with federal grant regulations under 2 CFR Part 200 and 34 CFR Part 75, with all costs required to be reasonable, allowable, and allocable. Performance occurs across the jurisdictions of awarding states, with acceptance verified at the school level, and no physical delivery or packaging specifications apply. The solicitation does not involve standard contract line items or procurement clauses but operates as a discretionary grant program requiring compliance with civil rights laws, anti-lobbying certifications, and workforce protection executive orders.