Butler Area School District was recently awarded a $1,382,353 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the state agency announced Friday, March 15.

The school district is the only education agency in Butler County to receive a grant, which is part of $39 million in funding that will be disbursed across 36 school districts in 21 counties. It is part of the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections Grant.

According to the Department of Education, the grant aims to “establish safe learning environments” and prevent, as well as respond to, “acts of bullying, violence and hate” by funding social, emotional, physical and mental well-being of students and staff; family and community engagement; and inclusive policies.

The recipients of the grants were identified as high-need local education agencies. The grant amount that could be requested depended on the number of low-income students served, the Department of Education states on its website.

To be eligible for the grant, school districts had to meet at least one of four criteria, showing a high rate of poverty; lack of mental health supports available to students; high rates of violence or traumatic incidents in the school or community; or high rates of school exclusion.

“We definitely have a lot of students in poverty, and we definitely had some trouble with discipline issues after the pandemic,” superintendent Brian White said.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 11.1% of families in the Butler Area School District live below the poverty level, and 18.8% of families receive federal food assistance.

White said the district began working on the grant application in December.