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Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections Grant Program

Grantor:

CA Department of Education

Portal ID:

44048

Status:

Closed

Opportunity Type:

• Grant

Last Updated:

August 8, 2023, 4:47 pm

Categories:

• Education

Details

Purpose:

The goals of the BSCA-SCG are to support evidence-based programs, structures, approaches, and practices that will increase school safety, better meet the increasingly urgent mental health needs of identified youth and to increase the safety and emotional well-being of all students. 

Description:

The fundamental requirements of Title IV, Part A apply to these funds, including the supplement, not supplant requirement (ESEA section 4110); the maintenance of effort requirement (ESEA section 8521); and the requirement to provide equitable services to private school students and personnel (ESEA section 8501 et seq.).

The BSCA-SCG Program is based on the premise that locally designed school safety and climate plans that have authentic community support can, in concert with evidence-based strategies for creating safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments, accelerate meaningful partnerships between school staff and students, families, and community members. These partnerships ensure that school safety and climate plans address local conditions, elevate communal assets and strengthen communal infrastructure in neighborhoods.

LEA plans that support safe, healthy, and supportive schools should include a comprehensive set of evidence-based components. The LEA Plan and its key focus areas should reflect an understanding of familial and communal strengths as well as gaps in systemic support. Most LEA plans will include safety assessments and corresponding safety strategies (e.g., emergency operation plans), positive school culture and climate (e.g., Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)), and student wellness (e.g., integrated student supports). Research consistently shows that safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments lead to improved academic achievement.

As schools become more supportive, students feel more connected and research indicates strong correlations to improvement in emotional well-being of students, as well as with reductions in disciplinary actions. Accordingly, students who experience a sense of belonging in school are also more likely to exhibit positive behaviors. This includes learning environments that provide culturally and linguistically responsive practices where students are surrounded by adults they can trust and who are committed to building strong relationships. Environments like these also help build connections that make students less likely to bring weapons to school and more likely to report the presence of weapons in school. Beyond the benefit to the individual student, safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments benefit their fellow students, educators, and the community at large.

Grant applicants should demonstrate how they intend to use grant funds for planning, implementation, professional development, and evaluation of activities in support of evidence-based programs and practices to improve school culture/climate, increase student engagement and inclusion, decrease risk behaviors, increase protective factors, and increase the physical and emotional well-being of all its students.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

• Public Agency

Applicant agencies are limited to LEAs within the State of California that serve students in pre-K–12, inclusive. An LEA is defined as a school district, charter school, or a county office of education (COE) in its role as a provider of direct student services in COE-operated schools.