New Mexico Rolls Out $46 Million in School Security Funding
New Mexico is awarding money to 222 school campuses for security upgrades, including new doors and locks, fencing and surveillance cameras.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, this year lawmakers agreed to set aside $46 million over four years to improve school security across the state. Forty-seven school districts applied.
Most of those applications were granted after a survey of school buildings and public comment sessions that discussed how parents, teachers and students would like to improve school safety. The state assessed each campus based on the number of security measures already in place.
This year’s funding totals $16 million, and officials are seeking to spend money toward basic, fundamental improvements. According to the New Mexican, districts mostly asked for fences, new door locks, hand-held radios and secure vestibules that let administrators better control school entrances. The funding will only cover the costs of physical improvements, not mental health or anti-bullying programs and resources.
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