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DECIDING WHO, WHAT, AND HOW MUCH TO FUND: EXPLORING SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES IN THE SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM
Dissertation

DECIDING WHO, WHAT, AND HOW MUCH TO FUND: EXPLORING SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES IN THE SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM

April Kraft-Duley
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
2026
pdf
April KD - Dissertation All Parts - 5.27.26
Embargoed Access, Embargo ends: 07/17/2028

Abstract

School Funding School Safety School Violence
This dissertation examined differences in the distribution of federal school safety funding through the U.S. Department of Justice’s School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Drawing on application and award data from 2018 to 2020, the study explores patterns in who applies, what they request, and who ultimately receives funding. The analysis focuses on how race, socioeconomic status (SES), geography, and disciplinary context are associated with both the likelihood of receiving funds and the types of safety measures requested. Using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, this exploratory study identifies several patterns in the funding process. Despite lower funding requests on average, predominantly White and higher-SES districts are more likely to receive funding than their non-White and lower-SES counterparts. Districts with higher percentages of White students more frequently request hard technology items, such as surveillance cameras and access control systems, while more diverse and non-White districts are significantly more likely to request soft technology and training. Lower-SES districts, although more likely to request above-average funding amounts, are less frequently represented among award recipients. Regional and subregional patterns also suggest uneven participation and success rates, with some areas overrepresented in both applications and awards. These findings highlight the role of structural inequalities in school funding as it applies to access to federal school safety resources. Ultimately, this study suggests that the SVPP program does not operate independently of broader school funding structures but instead reflects patterns consistent with existing inequities. Patterns in application behavior and funding outcomes demonstrate how historically under-resourced districts continue to face barriers to accessing federal support, even when facing heightened safety needs. These findings contribute to a growing body of research on educational equity by showing how federal grantmaking processes—while seemingly neutral—may be associated with longstanding disparities. The study concludes with policy recommendations aimed at promoting more equitable access to school safety resources and areas for future research.

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