STATEHOUSE (Sept. 14, 2026) – Howard County schools recently received more than $383,000 from Indiana's Secured School Safety Grant Program, according to State Reps. Mike Karickhoff (R-Kokomo) and Heath VanNatter (R-Kokomo).
Karickhoff 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.
"We cannot predict every security challenge a school may face, but we can help make sure they are prepared to respond," Karickhoff said. "These grants empower local officials to identify those needs and put the right resources in place."
VanNatter said this year the Indiana Department of Homeland Security provided more than $26 million in grants to nearly 500 schools and corporations.
"Protecting students starts with giving schools the resources to prepare for the unexpected," VanNatter said. "This funding supports practical improvements that can make a real difference in keeping students, teachers and staff safe."
Area schools receiving grants include:
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.
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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State Rep. Mike Karickhoff (R-Kokomo) represents House District 30,
which includes portions of Grant and Howard counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Heath VanNatter (R-Kokomo) represents House District 38,
which includes all of Carroll and Tipton counties, and
portions of Cass, Clinton, Howard and Tippecanoe counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
