§ 5965. Use of funds

(a) In general A local educational agency shall use grant funds received under this subchapter for one or more of the following activities:

(1) Identifying and assessing school violence and discipline problems, including coordinating needs assessment activities with education, law enforcement, judicial, health, social service, and other appropriate agencies and organizations, juvenile justice programs, and gang prevention activities.

(2) Conducting school safety reviews or violence prevention reviews of programs, policies, practices, and facilities to determine what changes are needed to reduce or prevent violence and promote safety and discipline.

(3) Planning for comprehensive, long-term strategies for addressing and preventing school violence and discipline problems through the involvement and coordination of school programs with other education, law enforcement, judicial, health, social service, and other appropriate agencies and organizations.

(4) Training school personnel in programs of demonstrated effectiveness in addressing violence, including violence prevention, conflict resolution, anger management, peer mediation, and identification of high-risk youth.

(5) Activities which involve parents in efforts to promote school safety and prevent school violence.

(6) Community education programs, including video- and technology-based projects, informing parents, businesses, local government, the media and other appropriate entities about—

(A) the local educational agency’s plan to promote school safety and reduce and prevent school violence and discipline problems; and

(B) the need for community support.

(7) Coordination of school-based activities designed to promote school safety and reduce or prevent school violence and discipline problems with related efforts of education, law enforcement, judicial, health, social service, and other appropriate agencies and organizations and juvenile justice programs.

(8) Developing and implementing violence prevention activities and materials, including—

(A) conflict resolution and social skills development for students, teachers, aides, other school personnel, and parents;

(B) disciplinary alternatives to expulsion and suspension of students who exhibit violent or antisocial behavior;

(C) student-led activities such as peer mediation, peer counseling, and student courts; or

(D) alternative after-school programs that provide safe havens for students, which may include cultural, recreational, educational and instructional activities, and mentoring and community service programs.

(9) Educating students and parents regarding the dangers of guns and other weapons and the consequences of their use.

(10) Developing and implementing innovative curricula to prevent violence in schools and training staff how to stop disruptive or violent behavior if such behavior occurs.

(11) Supporting “safe zones of passage” for students between home and school through such measures as Drug- and Weapon-Free School Zones, enhanced law enforcement, and neighborhood patrols.

(12) Counseling programs for victims and witnesses of school violence and crime.

(13) Acquiring and installing metal detectors and hiring security personnel.

(14) Reimbursing law enforcement authorities for their personnel who participate in school violence prevention activities.

(15) Evaluating projects and activities assisted under this subchapter.

(16) The cost of administering projects or activities assisted under this subchapter.

(17) Other projects or activities that meet the purpose of this subchapter.

(b) Limitations

(1) In general A local educational agency may use not more than—

(A) a total of 5 percent of grant funds received under this subchapter in each fiscal year for activities described in paragraphs (11), (13), and (14) of subsection (a) of this section; and

(B) 5 percent of grant funds received under this subchapter in each fiscal year for activities described in paragraph (16) of subsection (a) of this section.

(2) Special rule

A local educational agency shall only be able to use grant funds received under this subchapter for activities described in paragraphs (11), (13), and (14) of subsection (a) of this section if funding for such activities is not available from other Federal sources.

(3) Prohibition

A local educational agency may not use grant funds received under this subchapter for construction.

(Pub. L. 103–227, title VII, § 705, Mar. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 206.)