Extension of Safety and Facilities Enhancement (SAFE) Grant Needs Assessment
| Date: | September 21, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Extension of Safety and Facilities Enhancement (SAFE) Grant Needs Assessment |
| Category: | School Safety |
| Next Steps: | Eligible districts should complete the Needs Assessment |
Overview
On May 31, 2023, the Commissioner of Education adopted the 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter CC, Commissioner’s Rules Concerning School Facilities, §61.1031, School Safety Requirements to provide minimum safety standards for educational facilities throughout the state of Texas.
On August 24, 2023, the Texas Education Agency released a To the Administrator Addressed (TAA) letter announcing Cycle 1 of the SAFE Grant and the deadline of the required Needs Assessment. This communication is extending the deadline in the original TAA.
SAFE Grant Needs Assessment
The 88th Texas Legislative Session appropriated $800M to support school systems in meeting the adopted School Safety Standards. School systems that have applied for the 2022-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant and have not certified compliance with the facility requirements are highly encouraged to complete the Safety Advocacy and Facility Enhancement (SAFE) Needs Assessment.
School systems should include work that was not funded by the Silent Panic Alert Technology Grant or the 2022-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant. School systems should complete all survey fields with as much accuracy as possible, indicating actual money spent or contract bid amounts received, as applicable.
Eligibility
See the General and Fiscal Guidelines, Eligibility to Apply for LOIs.
School systems that have applied for the 2022-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant and have certified that they are NOT in compliance with the adopted School Safety Standards in Section B of the 2022-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant application are eligible for this grant if additional funds are needed to become compliant with required safety standards. If a school system has not certified compliance, but the funds within the current grant opportunity are sufficient to meet the standards, it is not eligible to apply. A school system meeting the above requirement and the enrollment criteria below is eligible to apply for this grant program:
- Public school districts and charter schools with a reported enrollment of at least one student from the October 2021 PEIMS fall snapshot submission will be eligible for funding.
- Any new charter school opening after September 20, 2023 (the date of grant availability) will be ineligible for funding throughout the life of the grant.
- Private schools are not eligible recipients for funding.
The Needs Assessment has been extended one week to September 28, 2023. School systems must complete the Needs Assessment to be considered for funding.
Application
- SAFE Grant Needs Assessment link
- Deadline to submit: Extended to September 28, 2023.
- Note: Once a survey is started, it will remain open for only 48 hours. After 48 hours, the information will be cleared from the survey and the applicant will have to start from the beginning. School systems can download a PDF preview of the survey prior to completing the Qualtrics survey.
SAFE Grant Webinar (NEW)
The Office of School Safety and Security will host a webinar reviewing the eligibility requirements and allowable costs on September 25, at 12:00 p.m. CST.
Register for the Safety and Facility Enhancement (SAFE) Grant webinar.
Additional Supports and Questions
For more information, please visit Superintendent Supports: Safe Schools or email us at safeschools@tea.texas.gov.