Burbio School Tracker 2/25: Security & Cybersecurity Edition

1. Burbio's School Board Meeting Tracker captures and continually updates school board meetings across the PreK-12 school population, and clients use the information to understand district objectives. Security and Cybersecurity initiatives are both frequently and highly specifically discussed. The charts below show the percentage of school districts that mention the referenced term at least once in the 12 month period ending 9/30/24:

2. Burbio has just launched our School Bond dataset as part of our PreK-12 Intelligence Hub. School bond information is available via a sortable dashboard, a searchable keyword map, and as part of each District Profile. Our bond dataset features such elements as bond amount, coverage summary, vote date, approval status, document links, and more. Security and Cybersecurity initiatives are a frequent part of bond projects.  
 
First we highlight some building security initiatives:

• Redmond School District, WA, recently passed a $97 million bond that "address(es) health, safety and security throughout the district with new fire alarm systems, fire sprinklers, updated playground surfaces, security fencing," and a new security entrance for the high school, among other facility upgrades.
• Putnam City Schools, OK, recently passed a $198 million bond that includes a "focus on school security with weapons detections at all elementary schools . . . Successfully secures ALL school sites in the District . . . " plus a continuation of storm safety projects with new multi-function storm shelters.
• Last April Riverview Gardens School District, MO, passed a $25 million bond that included secure entries, perimeter fencing, classroom doors, fortified locks, fire doors, and more.

 Next we look at cybersecurity initiatives in bonds: 

• Round Rock ISD, TX, recently passed multiple proposals totalling over $900 million of spending, which included a $125 million proposition to "upgrade instructional technology and infrastructure to support modern learning, and to increase the speed, connectivity, reliability and security of the district network."  
• Portland Public Schools, OR, is considering a bond for later this Spring that includes a three year plan with almost $15 million to be spent on cybersecurity.
• Last winter Edmonds School District, WA, passed a large construction bond that included enhanced cybersecurity in addition to technology upgrades and chromebook purchases. 

3.  Burbio's database of strategic plans covers both strategic plans and LCAPs from across the US. On a percentage basis security and cybersecurity terminology appears a bit less frequently but discussions are very specific as districts discuss short and longer term priorities:

4.  Burbio's State-Level Funding Tracker features state-specific grants for PreK-12 schools offered by all state agencies and departments, as well as Federal grants where states can tailor the criteria. Burbio has identified over 1,500 grants, and the database is growing daily. School security grants total almost $5 billion and technology grants multiple billion more. Suppliers use the grant database to alert districts to the opportunities shortly after they are announced. Examples across security and cybersecurity include: 

• In Utah the School Safety and Support Grant "is a competitive opportunity to enhance physical safety and security across Utah's schools" and details a range of potential uses from cameras to security fences to door locks.
• The Arkansas School Safety Grant allows for a wide range of building security expenditures, in addition to allowing for cybersecurity training for staff.
• In Texas the Safety and Facilities Enhancement Grant is designed to "assist LEAs who have applied for the 2022-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant and have certified that they are NOT in compliance with the adopted school safety standards . . . in meeting the adopted school safety standards."
• In California the State & Local Cybersecurity Grant - Local & Tribal  offers $19 million to  "state/territorial, local, and tribal (SLT) governments with resources to address cybersecurity risks and threats to information systems . . "
• The Safer Georgia Schools Grant provided up to $5.5 million "to support Georgia LEAs by providing funds for cybersecurity resources and associated training."