Whitley County School District getting $356,651 in federal safety funding

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) recently announced that 10 Kentucky school districts received a total of $3,169,388 to keep students safe in school, including the Whitley County School District.

The Whitley County Board of Education will receive $356,651, according to a news release.

The competitive federal grant funding was distributed by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services’ (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program.

According to the COPS Office, the funding can be used for coordinating with local law enforcement, training for officers to prevent school violence, and to purchase notification technology as well as deterrent measures like metal detectors, locks, and lighting.

Whitley County officials have not announced how they plan to use their funding.

“Violence has no place in our schools, and we have a responsibility to help create a safe environment for Kentucky’s young people to learn and prepare for their future,” said McConnell. “I congratulate these school districts for their innovative efforts to help stop school violence before it occurs. As Senate Majority Leader, I’ll continue prioritizing the safety of Kentucky’s next generation, especially while they’re in school.”