HB 157 Education - Safe Schools Fund - Grant Allocations

BILL: HB 157

TITLE: Education - Safe Schools Fund - Grant Allocations

DATE: January 28, 2025

POSITION: Favorable

COMMITTEE: House Appropriations Committee

CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM

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The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all

twenty-four public school superintendents, supports House Bill 157.

This bill authorizes the reallocation of grants from the Safe Schools Fund to local school systems that have fully expended their grant allocation and demonstrate unmet need within the same fiscal year. This act shall take into effect by July 1, 2025.

Under current law, the Governor is required to allocate $10 million annually to a fund supporting grants for local school systems and law enforcement agencies to provide adequate law enforcement coverage in public schools, including School Resource Officers (SROs) and school security employees (as authorized by Chapter 179 of 2024). Grants are distributed proportionally based on each system's share of public schools in the state. Any unspent funds revert to the fund annually but cannot be reallocated.

Local superintendents appreciate the General Assembly's initiative to reallocate these funds to local school systems who demonstrate the most need. This approach empowers districts with greater autonomy and ensures a more equitable distribution of resources, directing support to where it is needed most.

For these reasons, PSSAM supports House Bill 157 and requests a favorable report.