Lake County Lawmakers: State awards more than $2.1M to local schools for safety upgrades

STATEHOUSE (Sept. 25, 2026) – Lake County schools recently received more than $2.1 million from Indiana's Secured School Safety Grant Program, according to area legislators.

State Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-Hebron) 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.

"Maintaining and improving school security is an ongoing responsibility," Aylesworth said. "With these grants, schools can take extra measures, upgrade systems and hire additional support to help ensure students and teachers are safe."

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

"From implementing new technology to additional trainings, several of our local schools are improving their overall security with these grants," Olthoff said. "Children, teachers and parents should feel confident that their schools are safe places to learn."

Area schools receiving grants include:

• 21st Century Charter School at Gary, $43,000;
• Andrean High School, $86,000;
• Bishop Noll Institute, $42,654; 
• Charter School of the Dunes, $55,900;
• Crown Point Christian School, $46,839;
• Crown Point Community School Corp., $86,000; 
• East Chicago Lighthouse Charter, $43,000;
• East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy, $40,146;
• First Baptist Church of Hammond, $21,880;
• Forest Ridge Academy, Inc., $45,285;
• Gary Community School Corp., $86,000;
• Gary Lighthouse Charter School, $86,000;
• Griffith Public Schools, $86,000;
• Hammond Academy of Science & Tech, $6,450;
• Hammond Riverside Christian School, $86,000;
• Hanover Community School Corp.,$86,000;
• Higher Institute of Arts and Tech, $50,740;
• Highland Christian School, $12,401;
• Illiana Christian High School, $40,420;
• Lake Central School Corp., $86,000;
• Lake Ridge New Tech Schools, $86,000; 
• Lake Station Community Schools, $43,000; 
• Merrillville Community School Corp., $86,000; 
• Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative, $15,473; 
• River Forest Community School Corp., $69,989; 
• Saint Casimir School, $30,100;
• Saint John Bosco School, $30,100; 
• Saint John the Evangelist Church and School, $34,400; 
• Scholar Compass Leadership Academy, $43,000;  
• School City of East Chicago, $51,600;
• School City of Hammond, $86,000; 
• School City of Hobart, $86,000; 
• School City of Whiting, $69,660; 
• School Town of Highland, $47,020;
• School Town of Munster, $86,000; 
• St Stanislaus School, $17,200;
• Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, $66,905; and
• Tri-Creek School Corp., $86,000.

State Rep. Hal Slager (R-Schererville) 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 safety and security of all our teachers and students is a priority," Slager said. "With these grants, Lake County schools can make needed upgrades to their facilities, modernize their technology and take other steps to keep our classrooms safe."

With this round of funding Indiana has invested more than $240 million in school safety since the program started.

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.

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