President Biden signed a new bipartisan gun safety law (the Safer Communities Act) on June 25 in response to the Uvalde, Texas school shooting.
The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) petitioned Congress to allocate the funds to Title IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) so that private schools are able to participate. Congress provided $1 billion for Title IV-A to be used for school safety. It appears that mostly mental health programs and initiatives will be funded. Analysts observe that it will be very difficult to use the money to harden your school (doors, locks, alarms).
It is important to note that acceptance of these funds could designate a private school as a recipient of Federal Financial Assistance. If you would like to avoid this trap, consult your jurisdiction, such as your diocese, synod or school association, before participating.
WCRIS is the official state chapter of CAPE. The update above is from the recent issue of their publication “Outlook.”
