Several Northwest Indiana public and private schools are among 494 sharing $27.1 million in state funding to bolster security and safety.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security announced the 2026 Secured School Safety Grant awards Tuesday.
More Top Picks Irlen Syndrome And Depth Perception Problems Explained
Schools primarily use the funding to pay school resource officers – trained local police who work in schools.
The state allocated $24 million to schools last year and about $17 million of that amount funded school resource officers.
Officials said the requests for funding exceeded the program’s total amount for the first time. The state gave priority to first-time applicants that included charter schools, which were capped at $100,000.
Schools can match their funding at 25%, 50% or 100%. The match is based on the district’s average daily membership, the project’s total amount or what the request covers.
Besides supporting school resource officers, schools can also use their funding for technology, equipment such as active warning systems, firearms training for teachers and staff in schools that allow guns, for threat assessment and for a student-parent support services program.
In a release the homeland security agency said more than $214 million was earmarked for the grant program since its inception in 2013.
Here’s a list of local schools and their grants from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security:
Lake County
21st Century Charter School – $46,250
Andrean High School – $74,000
Aspire Charter Academy – $38,067
Bishop Noll – $41,121
Charter School of the Dunes – $60,125
Crown Point Christian School – $48,275
Crown Point Community School Corp. – $80,098
Forest Ridge Academy – $92,014
Gary Community School Corp. – $92,500
Gary Lighthouse Charter – $92,500
Griffith Public Schools – $92,500
Hammond Academy of Science & Technology – $23,125
Hanover Community School Corp. – $92,500
Higher Institute of Arts and Technology – $67,988
Highland Christian School – $77,366
Illiana Christian High School – $46,250
Lake Central School Corp. – $92,500
Lake Ridge New Tech Schools – $92,500
Lake Station Community Schools – $46,250
Merrillville Community School Corp. – $92,500
Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative – $19,530
Our Lady of Grace School – $9,305
River Forest Community School Corp. – $75,280
Saint Casimir School – $32,375
Saint John the Evangelist School – $37,000
Saint Mary Catholic Community School – $66,762
School City of Hammond – $92,500
School City of Hobart – $92,500
School City of Whiting – $29,970
School Town of Highland – $48,589
School Town of Munster – $92,500
St. Stanislaus School – $18,500
Thea Bowman Leadership Academy – $78,898
Tri-Creek School Corp. – $92,500
Porter County
Duneland School Corp. – $92,500
East Porter County School Corp. – $92,500
Emmanuel Baptist Academy – $32,375
MSD of Boone Township – $45,928
Portage Township Schools – $92,500
Porter Township School Corp. – $92,500
Saint Paul Catholic School – $18,786
Union Township School Corp. – $83,250
Valparaiso Community Schools – $92,500
Victory Christian Academy – $46,250
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.