Thanks to a provision in the state budget, Ohio's school districts can now tap into a new grant aiming to make their buildings safer.
Online enrollment for the $12 million program for public schools known as the School Security Grant started earlier this fall.
Republican state senator Gayle Manning is a former teacher who sits on the Ohio School Facilities Commission, which is administering the grant. Manning said the initiative was created in the wake of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.
"Naturally, after Sandy Hook, I think we were all just extremely upset about that, and you want to be able to do something," she explained.
Districts can receive up to $2,000 for a radio system that will directly connect them with emergency responders. They can also apply for up to an additional $5,000 to purchase other building security measures like cameras and intercoms.
Schools have until early next year to apply for the grant.