Authorizing Legislation 

This grant program is authorized by Senate Bill 30, Section 4.02 of the 88th Legislative Session.

Overview of Program

On May 31, 2023, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released the adopted 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter CC, Commissioner’s Rules Concerning School Facilities, §61.1031, School Safety Requirements, also known as the School Safety Standards, to provide a minimum safety standard for educational facilities throughout the state of Texas. 

REFERENCES: 

• TEA | To the Administrator Addressed (TAA): Safety and Facilities (SAFE) Grant Cycle 2 Information

• TEA | To the Administrator Addressed (TAA): Safety and Facilities Enhancement (SAFE) Grant Cycle 2 Information February 15, 2024

• TEA | SAFE Grant Cycle 2 Overview March 2024 Webinar (PDF) Published March 19, 2024

• TEA | SAFE Grant Cycle 2 FAQs Published March 19, 2024

• TEA | Program Guidelines - 2024-2025 Safety and Facilities Enhancement (SAFE) Grant Cycle 2 

• TEA | General and Fiscal Guidelines

The 88th Texas Legislative Session appropriated $1.1B to support school systems in meeting the adopted School Safety Standards. SAFE Grant Cycle 2 will award $279.5M from the overall legislative appropriation to local educational agencies (LEAs) through a formula grant process. This funding is designated to help LEAs meet the required safety standards as well as other statutory school safety requirements. 

Eligibility 

LEAs meeting the enrollment criteria below are 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 2023 PEIMS fall snapshot submission will be eligible for funding. 

  • •  $150,000 minimum funding amount  

    • Additional funding based on enrollment (Ages 3-21 Fall PEIMS 2023)

• Charter schools that opened prior to January 1, 2024 (the date of grant availability). 

• Private schools are not eligible for funding. 

• Schools opening after January 1, 2024 are not eligible for funding.

• SAFE Cycle 2 - Grant Allocations by District Number (CDN) (Revised 4/3/2024)

Required Compliance Assessment 

As part of the process to receive a SAFE Cycle 2 grant award, LEAs are required to complete a Compliance Assessment. The window to complete the Compliance Assessment is December 14, 2023, to January 31, 2024. The Compliance Assessment can be accessed through the Intruder Detection Audit Dashboard. 

Compliance Assessment Update

• The Compliance Assessment within the IDA Dashboard is the official compliance self-reporting mechanism that helps inform districts of their compliance status and grant spending requirements.  

• The information displayed on the IDA School Safety Dashboard will contain the official grant funding allowable costs based on the compliance of the LEA.  

• TEA will re-open the Compliance Assessment starting March 28, 2024.  

  • • LEAs can update their compliance status for each component of the minimum safety standard.  

    • LEAs will not be able to lower their compliance status once Provisional Compliance or Full Compliance is designated.

• LEAs will have the opportunity to update each component of the minimum school safety standards starting March 28th. 

Application Submission Through eGrants

Submit the application for these grant programs electronically through the TEA eGrants system. Refer to the General and Fiscal Guidelines for more specific information about the eGrants application process. 

Applications must be submitted as follows: 

• Those submitted by public LEAs must be signed electronically by the superintendent of the school district or a designee. 

• Applications submitted by regional Education Service Centers (ESCs) must be signed electronically by the executive director or a designee. 

• Applications submitted by open-enrollment charter schools must be signed electronically by the chief operating officer of the school or a designee. 

• Campuses and campus charter schools must apply through their public school district, and the application must be signed electronically by the superintendent or designee. 

Requirement for Username and Password 

To access eGrants and apply for this grant, you must have access to the TEA Login (TEAL). Follow these steps to apply for usernames and passwords on TEAL: 

1. Visit the TEA Login (TEAL) page of the TEA website. Select Request New User Account to begin the process of applying for a TEAL account online. 

2. Once you have been assigned a TEA Login (TEAL) account, log into TEAL and under Self-Service select My Application Accounts. 

3. The My Accounts tab will open. Select Request New Account, then find eGrants in the list and follow the instructions to submit your request. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I become eligible to access Tier 2 Allowable Expenses? 

  • • You need to be at least Provisionally Compliant across all components of the minimum safety standard via the Compliance Assessment.  

• If I am eligible for Tier 2 Allowable Expenses based on my compliance status, what is allowable? 

  • • All Tier 2 costs should align with the TEC §48.115 (i.e., School Safety Allotment). Some of the most common answers are armed security, two-way radios, access control, and vestibules.  

• When will I receive my Cycle 1 NOGA? My Cycle 2 NOGA? 

  • • If you have not received your Cycle 1 NOGA, you should expect to receive it in the next few weeks. You should receive your Cycle 2 NOGA Summer 2024.

SAFE Grant Cycle 2 Webinars 

To support LEAs through the Compliance Assessment and Cycle 2 grants process, TEA will be hosting an encore webinar in April. Please click the link below to sign up for a webinar. Note: webinar attendance is optional. 

• Register for the April 9th webinar at 11:00 a.m.

• Register for Office Hours (optional). Held Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m.  

  1. 1. April 10th (Register HERE )  

     2. April 24th (Register HERE )

     3. May 8th (Register HERE )

REFERENCES: 

• TEA | To the Administrator Addressed (TAA): Safety and Facilities (SAFE) Grant Cycle 2 Information

• TEA | SAFE Grant Cycle 2 Overview March 2024 Webinar (PDF) Published March 19, 2024

• TEA | SAFE Grant Cycle 2 FAQs Published March 19, 2024

• TEA | SAFE Grant Cycle 2 Allocations by District Number (Revised 4/3/2024)

• TEA | Safety and Facilities Enhancement (SAFE) Grant Cycle 2 Application Published March 28, 2024

• TEA | Program Guidelines - 2024-2025 Safety and Facilities Enhancement (SAFE) Grant Cycle 2 

• TEA | General and Fiscal Guidelines

• March 28, 2024 - TAA -  Safety and Facilities Enhancement (SAFE) Grant Cycle 2 Application 

  • Allocations posted and eGrants Application opens

• May 28, 2024 - eGrant Application closes

• Summer 2024 - LEAs receive Notice of Grant Award (NOGA) and complete safety projects

• August 2024 - LEAs must certify compliance with safety standards. 

• August 2025 - Deadline for LEAs to receive SAFE Grant (Cycle 2) funds and complete Tier 2 safety projects.  

Tier 1 - Allowable Activities and Use of Funds (If minimal compliance with School Safety Standards Rule has NOT been met)

1. Secured Area Fencing 

• Fencing

• Emergency egress gates

• Anti-scaling devices 

• Fence posts

• Upgrade pre-existing fencing to become compliant with safety standards rule increasing the height of pre-existing fence to meet the  height requirement of the safety standards rule

• Modifications of other pre-existing fencing components to bring fence(s) up to standard

2. Exterior Doors.

• • • Door reinforcement components

    • Door

    • Mechanical door auto closer

    • Mechanical door lock

    • Emergency egress push bar

    • Door frame

    • Center  mullion

    • Master key rekeying on mechanical doors

3. Glass Exterior Doors Not Within a Secure Area (includes the purchase of forced-entry resistant film and installation materials)

4. Ground-level Exterior Windows

• For windows adjacent to or near an exterior door to become compliant, the purchase of forced-entry resistant film and installation materials

5. In the case that the window frame itself is not removable and the frame and window must be upgraded to comply with the minimum safety standards:

• Purchase of forced-entry window

• Window frame and installation materials

6.  Silent Panic Alert Technology  —  This includes the following:

• • • Purchase and installation of silent panic alert technology

    • Maintenance/service contracts for silent panic alert technology systems

    • Either solely or in combination with other funds, to purchase comprehensive school safety software systems that include, but not limited to, visitor screening, safety drills, response to emergencies, and reunification but only if the silent panic alert technology is a primary component of the comprehensive system 

    • LEA personnel costs are only associated with the installation of silent panic alert technologies 

    • Lease purchase of silent panic alert technologies if completely paid within the grant period 

7. Other Required Components (includes the purchase and installation of security cameras at exterior door locations for the purpose of visual verification prior to allowing an individual to enter) 

8. Installation of the Aforementioned Components

Tier 2 - Other Allowable Items (After minimal compliance with School Safety Standards has been met)

Before expending grant funds on the below allowable items, the applicant must have certified they meet minimal compliance with the school safety standards rule, to include identifying contracted vendor(s) designated to provide the required work to implement the standards. 

1. Security Cameras or Other Security Equipment

2. Communication and Information Sharing Technology ( includes communications systems or devices, that facilitates communication and information sharing between students, school personnel, and first responders in an emergency)

3. Instructional Facility Components (includes instructional facility components such as security lighting, interior and exterior doors and security components)

4. Security

• • • Employing school district peace officers, private security officers, and school marshals

    • Equipment required for employing school district security

    • Collaborating with local law enforcement agencies, such as entering into a memorandum of understanding for the assignments of school resource officers to schools in the district

5. School Safety and Security Training and Planning 

• • • Active shooter and emergency response training

    • Prevention and treatment programs relating to addressing adverse childhood experiences

6. The prevention, identification, and management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based, effective prevention practices and including: 

• • • Providing licensed counselors, social workers, and individuals trained in restorative discipline and restorative justice practices

    • Providing mental health personnel and support

    • Providing behavioral health services

    • Establishing threat reporting systems

    • Developing and implementing programs focused on restorative justice practices, culturally relevant instruction, and providing mental health support

7. Programming related to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.  

8. Metal Detectors

9. Two-way radio systems

10. Access control features on exterior and interior doors

11. Vestibules

12. Other security expenses in alignment with TEC §48.115 

General Allowable Activities and Use of Funds

• Payroll costs

• Professional and contracted services

• Consumable and durable supplies and materials

• Debt services (lease liabilities for terms greater than 12 months) — allowable costs include:

  • Subscription-based Information Technology Arrangement (SBITA)  — Principal Costs (6514)

  • Subscription-based Information Technology Arrangement (SBITA)  — Interest Costs (6526)

• Capital Outlay

Refer to the Budgeting Costs Guidance Handbook on the Grants Administration Division’s Grant Resources page for general guidance on unallowable costs. 

In addition, unallowable activities  and use of funds for this grant include, but are not limited to, the following 

• Debt services (lease liabilities for terms greater than 12 months) — unallowable costs include:

  • Capital Lease Liability — Principal Costs (6512) 

  • Capital Lease Liability — Interest Costs (6522)

  • Interest on Debt Costs (6523)

• Audit services for state-funded grants

• Out-of-State travel

• Travel for Students to Conferences

• Field Trips

• Stipends for non-employees

• Non-employee costs for conferences

• Travel Costs for Officials such as Executive Director, Superintendent, or Board Members

• Cost of Membership in Any Civic or Community Organization

• Hosting or Sponsoring of Conferences

• Advisory Council

• Administrative Costs

• Any activity not specified above in the allowable Activities and Use of Funds section