Loudoun, D.C. win federal funds for crisis planning

D.C. is getting about $800,000 while Loudoun’s cut of the $24 million pie is approximately $700,000, according to Wednesday’s announcement. The two were the only local districts among the 92 across the country to receive the funds.

The U.S. Department of Education began the awards program in 2003 and has doled out the grant money to help schools beef up their safety plans.

“Nothing is more important to Americans than the safety of their children,” Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said in a statement. “These grants will support that effort by helping more school districts strengthen their crisis planning and better coordinate with the entire community to ensure the safety of our schools and students.”

To qualify, districts submitted applications about two weeks ago. Now those selected to receive funds will come up with specific plans for the grants.

Officials said school administrators have the final say on how the money is spent so long as it supports safety in educational buildings and addresses all four phases of emergency management: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. They can work with local emergency responders, purchase emergency supplies, train staff and students on emergency procedures or do a combination of the three.

A D.C. schools spokeswoman said Wednesday that the district was not aware that it would receive the funds, and could not provide details on how the money would be used. Loudoun County schools officials could not be reached for comment.

The list of award winners spans across 34 states. On average, smaller districts reaped $100,000 while slightly larger school districts got awards that came to nearly seven figures.

While they are not recipients of this year’s grant funds, other school systems in the Washington metro area are still tasked with submitting safety plans to the federal government.

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com