FCCB Proposes Security Funding for Accredited Nonpublic Schools

It's profoundly important to protect all of Florida's schoolchildren - including those educated in public as well as nonpublic schools. Tragedies have devastated school communities from Newtown, CT to our own Parkland, FL.

Legislative discussions on security have focused almost exclusively on public schools or only a very small sector of nonpublic schools. During the past two fiscal years, the Legislature has provided $2.6 million in funds exclusively to Jewish Day Schools for purposes of hardening their campuses. The FCCB recognizes the need for actively combating the very real and intolerable threat of anti-Semitic violence, and the precedent of protecting security for nonpublic and public schools alike is good and proper.
 
In its proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, the Senate has allocated $50 million for school hardening grants for public schools, $2 million in security funding for Jewish Day Schools, and $50,000 for accredited nonpublic schools. The FCCB is currently requesting an increase to the allocation to harden the physical security of certain accredited nonpublic schools. These schools will have consulted with local law enforcement or third-party security experts to determine priority efforts to protect children such as installing perimeter fencing, alarm systems, security cameras and ballistic glass. 

We are grateful to our FLCAN members who urged their lawmakers on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education to increase the $50,000 line item for hardening the security of accredited nonpublic schools.