Hendricks County lawmakers: State awards funding to local schools for safety upgrades

STATEHOUSE (Sept. 16, 2026) – Hendricks County schools recently received more than $644,000 from Indiana’s Secured School Safety Grant Program, according to area legislators.

State Rep. Becky Cash (R-Zionsville) said the program, which was established through legislation the General Assembly passed in 2013, provides matching grants to school corporations, accredited non-public schools and charter schools to help pay for critical safety improvements.

“Students, teachers and families should feel confident that their schools are safe places to learn,” said Cash, who serves on the House Education Committee. “These matching grants help schools pay for essential upgrades to better ensure the security of our classrooms.”

State Rep. Greg Steuerwald (R-Avon) said this year the Indiana Department of Homeland Security provided more than $26 million in grants to nearly 500 schools and corporations.

“School safety continues to be a priority for the state,” Steuerwald said. “Students and educators deserve a secure learning environment, and this funding helps schools create that.”

Area schools receiving grants include:

• Avon Community School Corp., $86,000;
• Bethesda Christian School, $51,747;
• Brownsburg Community School Corp., $86,000;
• Danville Community School Corp., $86,000;
• Mill Creek Community School Corp., $79,550;
• North West Hendricks Schools, $86,000;
• Our Shepherd Lutheran School, $43,000;
• Plainfield Community School Corp., $86,000; and
• Saint Susanna School, $40,617.

State Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton) said the matching grants can be used for a variety of safety measures, including hiring school resource officers, assessing site vulnerabilities, purchasing equipment and technology and implementing bullying prevention.

“The General Assembly has been diligent about working with schools to assess their safety needs and provide funding to address them,” said Thompson, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. “We know security is a top concern for educators and parents, and we’ll continue supporting these efforts to ensure Hoosier students are safe.”

State Rep. Craig Haggard (R-Mooresville), a member of the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee, said with this round of funding Indiana has invested more than $240 million in school safety since the program started.

“I’m glad to see so many schools take their security seriously,” Haggard said. “These matching grants have helped them assess their vulnerabilities and make the necessary improvements so that our students, teachers, staff and parents can have peace of mind during the school day.”

In 2025, House Republicans passed legislation moving the Office of School Safety to IDHS, centralizing safety efforts and providing additional support and resources to schools. Visit in.gov/dhs/school-safety to learn more about state efforts to keep schools safe.