Venkat: over $800,000 in state grants for school safety and mental health needs

Rep. Arvind Venkat December 2, 2024 | 2:16 PM

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Dec. 2 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat announced that $803,064 in state grants was awarded to several school districts and schools throughout the 30th Legislative District to make them safer for students, teachers and staff and address behavioral health needs.

A total of $672,864 in noncompetitive funds were allocated to the following public school districts, career education center, and charter school:

North Allegheny School District: $250,133
Hampton Township School District: $147,525
Avonworth School District: $135,206
A.W. Beattie Career Center: $70,000
Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School: $70,000

Nazareth Prep High School also received a $75,000 competitive targeted grant, and a $55,200 grant of the same kind was presented to Eden Christian Academy.

“The COVID-19 pandemic left an everlasting imprint on public education with remote learning and the rise in school shootings and related violence has compounded the stress and angst felt by students nationwide,” Venkat, D-Allegheny, said. “I’m proud to be a physician-legislator and am privileged to help secure these dollars and to assist keeping our kids healthy and safe inside and outside of the classroom.”

Pennsylvania’s School Safety and Security Committee, under the banner of the PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency, made the funds possible. They help advance the SSSC’s goal of ensuring that all Pennsylvania students can learn in safe, healthy school environments by helping school entities address basic safety needs and mental health services identified in the committee’s Revised Baseline Criteria Standards.

Lists with all noncompetitive and competitive grant awardees statewide are available here.

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