WiFi & Cell Signal Boosting Solution to Promote Safety in K–12 Schools

According to 2015-2016 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, there are almost 133,000 K-12 schools in United States. In the fall of 2019, it was projected that the number of students entering pre-kindergarten through to Grade 12 would be 50.8 million. That is only in the public school system, excluding private schools.

As everyone living in USA is now painfully aware, safety and security are critically important in every kindergarten through twelveth grade learning environment. The foundation for being emergency-prepared involves an ongoing and all-inclusive protection strategy. Wifi & Cell Signal Boosting Technology in Schools has become a very important factor in keeping both students and educators safe.

Government Grants Now Available to Promote Safety and Security in US K-12 Schools.

United States of America government recognizes that safety and security in the nation's kindergarten thru 12th grade schools is vital not only to student's safety, but also to their academic success. To this end, the government has taken an active role in supporting local and state leaders by offering grants to promote security and safety to both students and educators. United States Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, stated that schools in America must be safe places for students where they can learn and feel connected and supported. She added that these government grants have been designed to allow local leaders to meet their own school's unique challenges and students' individual needs by customizing their approach to school safety and mental health.

Today, technology plays a pivotal role in improving security measures and streamlining communication within the preschool and K-12 school system including middle school and high school. If you haven't done so already, why not apply today for a government grant to promote security and safety at your K-12 school? SignalBooster.com is happy to provide an obligation-free consultation and explain how cell phone signal repeaters (amplifiers) can help by protecting students and educators in your K-12 school. We're here to help, so please don't hesitate to contact us today.

The US Congress Enacts The STOP School Violence Act.

The legislation passing the STOP School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP stands for Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing) was passed in March 2018. It provides schools with funds to make security improvements as well as investing in prevention and early intervention programs to prevent school violence from even happening. The Department of Justice now has legal authorization to approve grants to cover training of school personnel, students, and law enforcement to intervene and prevent people from being hurt by others or themselves and to identify signs of violence.

The legislation also provides funding for equipment and evidence-based technology to prevent school violence and improve school security. This includes improvements to security infrastructure and developing anonymous reporting systems.

Under this Act, funding is also included for crisis intervention and school threat assessment teams to triage threats before tragedies can even occur.

Another intention of the STOP School Violence Act is to create an anonymous reporting system via a hotline, a website, and mobile apps where people can provide tips or report on individuals they feel may be about to commit an act of violence.

About the STOP School Violence Program Grants.

Under the 2018 legislation, US Government has authorized that $1 billion be set aside for school safety and security grants over the next decade. One third of this figure has been set aside for allocation to technology-related applications and security equipment under the SVPP (School Violence Prevention Program).

The Technology Reporting Program and STOP School Violence Threat Assessment were developed by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for the creation of programs and evidence-based strategies to improve security measures in schools. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which is the research and development section of the Department of Justice, launched the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative (CSSI). The aim of their initiative is to focus on the development and application of strategies and knowledge in order to improve safety in Kindergarten-12 schools throughout the entire country. Both the grant program and distribution of awards are administered by the BJA. The aim is to support both state and local endeavors to reduce and hopefully prevent school violence.

Objectives of the Bureau of Justice Assistance are:

• To develop applications that specifically focus on the creation and operation of crisis intervention and school threat assessment teams. This includes developing the technology for regional and/or local anonymous reporting procedures.
• To allow schools to access funding for violence prevention, anonymous reporting systems, training, crisis intervention, and threat assessment.
• Address and fund the consistent application of innovative and effective security infrastructure, nationwide.

How Can These Grants Be Used?

BJA grants approved under the School Violence Prevention Program can be used in the following ways:

• For the physical installation of security measures, like locks, metal detectors, surveillance, and enhanced lighting.
• For the training and education of administrators, teachers, and students, on methods for preventing violence.
• For the purchase and installation of technology to expedite the notification of local law enforcement during times of emergencies.
• For the development and installation of anonymous reporting systems for threats of violence, including hotlines, mobile apps, and websites.
• For the creation of intervention teams and threat assessment procedures to assist in coordinating with law enforcement.
• For supporting procedures that improve threat assessment reporting, training, and violence prevention.

Preparing Your Grant Submission.

Keep in mind that when preparing your grant submission, funding may be requested for more than one purpose as listed above. However, it should be noted that your chances for successful funding will be much better with a more thorough application.

Modern Day Technology Is Vitally Important to Security & Safety in K-12 Schools.

Government agencies have been very proactive in exploring how technology affects safety in schools and how the right technology can help in the prevention and response to violence in schools.

The two most pressing issues as revealed by a study sponsored by the NRJ are:

• Ensuring that there is reliable two-way communication between emergency responders and educators.
• Incorporating and revamping outdated and fragmented procedures, training, and school safety policies for both administrators and parents.

Strong and reliable cellular signal coverage is critical to effective two-way communication. Staff and students inside any school must have the ability to communicate with emergency responders outside the school facility.

The following very common challenges occur with cellular signal reception:

• The construction of the building: in many school buildings, cell signal is prevented from entering or leaving due to the thick, signal blocking construction materials used in the building for protection of children from weather storms, etc.
• Classrooms located in lower levels or basements: cell signals in these types of classrooms can be weak or even non-existent due to reinforcements that keep building steady during earthquakes and other similar disasters.
• Consequential problem of both above factors: When a school building is unable to achieve strong, reliable cell signal, it is almost impossible for critical information to be communicated via text messages or phone calls from within the school.

In Conclusion.

Safety and security are critical in all buildings. However, it is especially so in Kindergarten-Twelve educational buildings where the achievements of our children and educators are entirely dependent on a safe learning environment. Emergency preparedness means an all-inclusive, ongoing safety and security strategy. In this regard, today's innovative technology is playing a very important role in ensuring our educators and students stay safe. At SignalBooster.com, we're professional, experienced, and ready to help you implement the appropriate safety security measures for your learning facility. These measures will be tailored to work for your specific facility and based on enhanced, reliable two-way cellular communication.

Contact SignalBooster.com today regarding cell phone signal amplifiers and let us help you create a sense of safety and security in and around your school environment. It is not just something we do. It is what we do. We're good at what we do, and we are at your service from preparing system design, choosing appropriate system, installing it, and providing 24/7 signal strength monitoring service.