News Releases

For Immediate Release: November 10, 2022
Contact: Charles Pyle (804) 371-2420 

RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Education today announced $12 million in state School Security Equipment Grants to protect students, faculty and visitors in 431 schools in 90 school divisions. The grants will pay for voice and video internal communication systems, mass notification systems, security card access systems, visitor ID badging systems, surveillance cameras, two-way radios, security vestibules, interior school bus cameras, two-way radios for buses and other security enhancements.

“The systems and equipment purchased through these grants will help school divisions control access to school buildings, respond quickly to emergencies and maintain orderly learning environments for students,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said. “Every student and every teacher should feel safe in their classrooms, during school activities and when traveling to and from school. In many cases, the equipment purchased addresses vulnerabilities identified in annual school security audits.” 

The criteria for making the awards — developed by VDOE and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services — give priority to schools most in need of modern security equipment, schools with relatively high numbers of offenses, schools with equipment needs identified by a school security audit, and schools in divisions least able to afford security upgrades. The divisions awarded grants are as follows:

• Albemarle County — $19,417 for Leslie H. Walton Middle and Mary Carr Greer Elementary.
• Amelia County — $46,302 for Amelia County High & Amelia County Middle.
• Amherst County — $114,666 for Amherst County High, Amherst Middle, Central Elementary, Elon Elementary and Monelison Middle.
• Augusta County — $115,322 for Craigsville Elementary, Guy K. Stump Elementary and North River Elementary.
• Bedford County — $175,100 for Bedford Elementary, Liberty High, Liberty Middle, Montvale Elementary, Otter River Elementary and Staunton River High.
• Botetourt County — $28,161 for Breckinridge Elementary, Central Academy Middle and Eagle Rock Elementary.
• Bristol — $173,251 for Joseph Van Pelt Elementary, Virginia High and Virginia Middle.
• Buchanan County — $108,366 for Council Elementary/Middle and Riverview Elementary/Middle.
• Campbell County — $144,497 for Altavista Elementary, Altavista High, Brookneal Elementary, Brookville Middle, Leesville Road Elementary, Rustburg Elementary, Rustburg High, Rustburg Middle, Tomahawk Elementary, William Campbell High and Yellow Branch Elementary.
• Caroline County — $23,644 for Caroline High. 
• Carroll County — $100,990 for Carroll County High, Carroll County Middle, Gladesboro Elementary, Gladeville Elementary, Laurel Elementary and Oakland Elementary.
• Charlotte County — $145,640 for Bacon District Elementary, Central Middle, Eureka Elementary, Phenix Elementary and Randolph-Henry High.
• Chesapeake — $43,614 for Camelot Elementary, Chesapeake SECEP Center, Crestwood Intermediate, Crestwood Middle, Deep Creek High, Deep Creek Middle, G. A. Treakle Elementary, George W. Carver Intermediate, Georgetown Elementary, Greenbrier Middle, Indian River High,Indian River Middle, Jolliff Middle, Norfolk Highlands Primary, Oscar Smith Middle, Portlock Primary, Rena B. Wright Primary, Southwestern Elementary, Sparrow Road Intermediate, Thurgood Marshall Elementary, Truitt Intermediate, Western Branch High, Western Branch Intermediate and Western Branch Middle.
• Colonial Beach — $95,547 for Colonial Beach Elementary and Colonial Beach High.
• Colonial Heights — $62,584 for Colonial Heights Middle, Lakeview Elementary and North Elementary.
• Craig County — $52,750 for McCleary Elementary.
• Culpepper County — $97,532 for A.G. Richardson Elementary, Culpepper Middle, Emerald Hill Elementary, Floyd T. Binns Middle, Sycamore Park Elementary and Yowell Elementary.
• Cumberland County — $18,796 for Cumberland Elementary and Cumberland Middle.
• Danville — $249,999 for Edwin A. Gibson Elementary, Forest Hills Elementary, G.L.H. Johnson Elementary, George Washington High, O. Trent Bonner Middle, Park Avenue Elementary, Schoolfield Elementary, Westwood Middle and Woodberry Hills Elementary.
• Dickenson County — $233,380 for Ridgeview High and Ridgeview Middle.
• Dinwiddie County — $192,743 for Dinwiddie County High and Dinwiddie Elementary.
• Essex County — $210,281 for Essex High.
• Fairfax County — $250,000 for Beech Tree Elementary, Cameron Elementary, Groveton Elementary, Sleepy Hollow Elementary and Woodley Hills Elementary.
• Fauquier County — $250,000 for Alternative Education Center, Claude Thompson Elementary, Liberty High and Marshall Middle.
• Floyd County — $23,538 for Check Elementary, Floyd Elementary, Indian Valley Elementary and Willis Elementary.
• Fluvanna County — $18,670for Fluvanna Middle.
• Franklin — $250,000 for Franklin High, Joseph P. King Jr. Middle and S.P. Morton Elementary.
• Franklin County — $49,911 for Benjamin Franklin Middle, Callaway Elementary, Ferrum Elementary, Franklin County High, Henry Elementary, Lee M. Waid Elementary and Snow Creek Elementary.
• Frederick County — $7,583 for Indian Hollow Elementary.
• Fredericksburg — $246,213 for Hugh Mercer Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, Walker-Grant Early Childhood Center and Walker-Grant Middle.
• Galax — $84,000 for Galax Elementary, Galax High and Galax Middle.
• Giles County — $127,162 for Giles High, Macy Mcclaugherty Elementary/Middle, Narrows Elementary/Middle and Narrows High.
• Gloucester County — $233,380 for Achilles Elementary.
• Grayson County — $70,187 for Independence Elementary and Independence Middle.
• Greensville County — $249,600 for Belfield Elementary, Edward W. Wyatt Middle, Greensville County High and Greensville Elementary.
• Halifax County — $249,200 for Clays Mill Elementary, Cluster Springs Elementary, Halifax County Middle, Meadville Elementary, Scottsburg Elementary. Sinai Elementary. South Boston Elementary and Sydnor Jennings Elementary.
• Hampton — $247,902 for A.W.E. Bassette Elementary, Aberdeen Elementary, Albert W. Patrick III Elementary, Alfred S. Forrest Elementary, Armstrong Elementary, Barron Elementary, Benjamin Syms Middle, Bethel High, C. Alton Lindsay Middle, Campus at Lee, Captain John Smith Elementary, Cesar Tarrant Middle, Christopher C. Kraft Elementary, Francis Asbury Elementary, Francis W. Jones Magnet Middle, George P. Phenix Elementary, Hampton High, Hunter B. Andrews, Jane H. Bryan Elementary, Kecoughtan High, Luther W. Machen Elementary, Mary S. Peake Elementary, Mary T. Christian Elementary, Mary W. Jackson Elementary, Moton Early Childhood Center,Paul Burbank Elementary, Phillips Elementary, Phoebus High, Samuel P. Langley Elementary, Spratley Gifted Center, Thomas Eaton Middle and William Mason Cooper Elementary.
• Henrico County — $49,134 for Chamberlayne Elementary, Charles M. Johnson Elementary, Crestview Elementary, Glen Lea Elementary, Pinchbeck Elementary, R.C. Longan Elementary, Seven Pines Elementary and Skipwith Elementary.
• Henry County — $250,000 for Bassett High, Fieldale-Collinsville Middle, Laurel Park Middle and Magna Vista High.
• Hopewell — $250,000 for Carter G. Woodson Middle, Dupont Elementary, Harry E. James Elementary, Hopewell High, Patrick Copeland Elementary and Woodlawn Pre-School Learning Center.
• Isle of Wight County — $217,600 for Georgie D. Tyler Middle.
• King George County — $56,011 for King George Middle.
• King William County — $57,803 for Hamilton Holmes Middle.
• King and Queen County — $17,560 for Central High and Lawson-Marriott Elementary.
• Lee County — $250,000 for Dryden Elementary, Elk Knob Elementary, Elydale Middle, Flatwoods Elementary, Lee High, Pennington Middle, Rose Hill Elementary, St. Charles Elementary and Thomas Walker High.
• Lunenburg County — $169,600 for Kenbridge Elementary, Lunenburg Middle and Victoria Elementary.
• Madison County — $75,200 for Waverly Yowell Elementary.
• Martinsville — $200,000 for Albert Harris Elementary, Clearview Early Learning Center, Martinsville High, Martinsville Middle and Patrick Henry Elementary.
• Mathews County — $200,195 for Thomas Hunter Middle.
• Middlesex County — $95,200 for Middlesex High.
• Montgomery County — $25,894 for Christiansburg Middle, Eastern Montgomery Elementary, Margaret Beeks Elementary, Prices Fork Elementary and Shawsville Middle.
• Nelson County — $250,000 for Nelson County High, Nelson Middle, Rockfish River Elementary and Tye River Elementary.
• New Kent County — $47,422 for New Kent Middle.
• Newport News — $245,218 for B.T. Washington Middle, Denbigh High, Heritage High, Menchville High, Oliver C. Greenwood Elementary, Warwick High and Woodside High.
• Norfolk — $134,417 for Granby High and Lindenwood Elementary.
• Norton — $84,104 for J.I. Burton High.
• Nottoway County — $195,486 for Blackstone Primary, Crewe Primary, Nottoway High, Nottoway Intermediate and Nottoway Middle.
• Orange County — $62,408 for Locust Grove Primary and Prospect Heights Middle.
• Page County — $70,404 for Luray Elementary, Luray Middle and Page County Middle.
• Patrick County — $181,984 for Blue Ridge Elementary, Hardin Reynolds Elementary, Meadows of Dan Elementary, Patrick Springs Elementary, Stuart Elementary and Woolwine Elementary.
• Petersburg — $196,581 for Cool Spring Elementary, Lakemont Elementary, Petersburg High, Pleasants Lane Elementary, Vernon Johns Middle, Walnut Hill Elementary and Westview Early Childhood Education Center.
• Pittsylvania County$214,258 for Brosville Elementary, Chatham Elementary, Chatham High, Chatham Middle, Dan River High, Dan River Middle, Gretna Elementary, Gretna High, Gretna Middle, John L. Hurt Elementary, Kentuck Elementary, Mount Airy Elementary, Southside Elementary, Stony Mill Elementary, Tunstall Middle and Union Hall Elementary.
• Prince George County — $108,362 for David A. Harrison Elementary, L.L. Beazley Elementary, North Elementary, South Elementary and William A. Walton Elementary.
• Pulaski County — $250,000 — Critzer Elementary, Dublin Elementary, Pulaski County Senior High and Pulaski Elementary.
• Radford — $16,540 for Radford High.
• Richmond — $204,480 for Barack Obama Elementary, Chimborazo Elementary, Miles Jones Elementary and Swansboro Elementary.
• Richmond County — $111,275 for Rappahannock High.
• Roanoke — $123,349 for Addison Aerospace Magnet Middle, Breckinridge Middle, Fairview Elementary, Fallon Park Elementary, Fishburn Park Elementary, Garden City Elementary, Hurt Park Elementary, James Madison Middle, Lincoln Terrace Elementary, Monterey Elementary, Patrick Henry High, Roanoke Academy for Mathematics & Science Elementary, Round Hill Elementary, Westside Elementary, William Fleming High and Woodrow Wilson Middle.
• Roanoke County — $250,000 for Burlington Elementary, Herman L. Horn Elementary and Northside High.
• Rockbridge County — $40,000 for Maury River Middle and Natural Bridge Elementary.
• Rockingham County — $19,884 for Wilbur S. Pence Middle.
• Russell County — $52,019 for Lebanon Middle.
• Scott County — $123,855 for Duffield-Pattonsville Primary, Dungannon Intermediate, Fort Blackmore Primary, Nickelsville Elementary, Rye Cove High, Rye Cove Intermediate, Shoemaker Elementary, Twin Springs High and Yuma Elementary.
• Shenandoah County — $188,296 for Honey Run Elementary, North Fork Middle, Peter Muhlenberg Middle, Sandy Hook Elementary and W.W. Robinson Elementary.
• Smyth County — $180,400 for Chilhowie Elementary, Chilhowie Middle, Marion Elementary, Marion Middle, Marion Senior High, Northwood High, Northwood Middle, Oak Point Elementary, Saltville Elementary and Sugar Grove Elementary.
• Southampton County — $229,514 for Southampton High and Southampton Middle.
• Spotsylvania County — $146,940 for Battlefield Middle, Berkeley Elementary, Chancellor High and Thornburg Middle.
• Stafford County — $249,287for Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle, Edward E. Drew Jr. Middle, Garrisonville Elementary, Grafton Village Elementary, H.H. Poole Middle, Hampton Oaks Elementary, Margaret Brent Elementary, Park Ridge Elementary, Rocky Run Elementary, Rodney E. Thompson Middle, T. Benton Gayle Middle and Winding Creek Elementary. 
• Staunton — $184,731 for Bessie Weller Elementary and Shelburne Middle.
• Suffolk — $218,240 for Booker T. Washington Elementary, Creekside Elementary, Elephant's Fork Elementary, Hillpoint Elementary, John F. Kennedy Middle, Kilby Shores Elementary, King's Fork Middle, Lakeland High, Mack Benn Jr. Elementary, and Oakland Elementary.
• Surry County — $14,936 for Surry Elementary.
• Sussex County — $104,763 for Sussex Central High and Sussex Central Middle.
• Tazewell County — $140,411 for Abb's Valley-Boissevain Elementary, Dudley Primary, Graham High, Graham Intermediate, Graham Middle, Richlands Elementary, Richlands Middle, Tazewell Intermediate, Tazewell Middle and Tazewell Primary.
• Virginia Beach — $60,751 for Alanton Elementary, Arrowhead Elementary, Brandon Middle, College Park Elementary, Corporate Landing Elementary, Kempsville High, Ocean Lakes Elementary, Plaza Middle, Princess Anne Middle, Rosemont Elementary, Salem Elementary and Trantwood Elementary.
• Warren County — $25,842 for A.S. Rhodes Elementary, E. Wilson Morrison Elementary, Skyline Middle and Warren County Middle.
• Washington County — $98,834 for Damascus Middle, E.B. Stanley Middle, Glade Spring Middle, John S. Battle High, Meadowview Elementary, and Rhea Valley Elementary.
• Waynesboro — $197,204 for Berkeley Glenn Elementary, Kate Collins Middle, Wayne Hills Center, Waynesboro High, Wenonah Elementary, Westwood Hills Elementary and William Perry Elementary.
• West Point — $28,379 for West Point Elementary and West Point Middle/High.
• Winchester — $59,745 for John Handley High and Virginia Avenue Charlotte Dehart Elementary.
• Wise County — $165,556 for Coeburn Primary, J.W. Adams Combined, L.F. Addington Middle, St. Paul Elementary, Union High, Union Middle, Union Primary and Wise Primary.

A local match of 25 percent is required of most divisions. Two school divisions with composite indices of local-ability-to-pay of less than 0.2 — Lee County and Scott County — are exempt from the local-match requirement.

The School Security Equipment Grants program was established by the 2013  General Assembly in the aftermath of the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. In 2020, the General Assembly doubled the total annual appropriation for the program from $6 million, to $12 million. The legislature also increased the maximum award per school division from $100,000, to $250,000.

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