PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Education has identified $15 million in carryover funds the agency wants to use for putting more armed officers in schools.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne cited the recent uptick in social media threats targeting schools throughout Arizona as a reason to use the funds on police officers.
"There has been a notable increase in threats to campuses in Arizona and nationwide, and that makes it more important than ever to do all we can to provide armed officers at schools," Horne said in a statement.
School districts in Mesa, Phoenix, Buckeye, Scottsdale and Tucson have all recently responded to violent school threats that turned out to be not credible. Several juveniles are now facing criminal charges for being involved in circulating these threats.
The education department is hoping to allow schools to begin applying for the extra grant money by Oct. 21.
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