KEMP–Kemp ISD Board of Trustees voted to apply for COPS grants to increase safety and security for students. These grants are made available through the U.S. Department of Justice programs under the STOP School Violence Act and require schools to partially match funds.
These grants were among the grants stated during the public hearing portion of the meeting which the board holds each year, informing the public that the district intends to seek grants.
Superintendent Dr. Young led a discussion in which the board approved the COPS – Hiring Program Grant, if awarded, to add police officers, so that one officer would be present on each campus. The grant is for $125,000 for three years, requiring the district to match 25% funds, funding the officer for one year at $66,000 divided over the three-year period.
“It is my belief that whatever else happens, our number one priority is to send the kids home safe at the end of the day,” Dr. Young said. He added that his belief is that the safest way to operate is to have an officer inside each building should someone enter, avoiding the trapped situation that occurred in Uvalde. 
The board also approved the COPS – School Violence Prevention Program Grant, including a 25% matching fund requirement. That grant is for $500,000, which Dr. Young said would be used to update the camera systems, allowing a clear picture of what is going on inside and outside the buildings. The grant would also allow the district to convert to a keyless entry system, allowing for turning the access cards on and off and lock and unlock doors from a central location should the need arise. He also said the grant would allow each school to have a vestibule, restricting access to the campus until the person is identified. The district would have to match $125,000.
The board also approved three additional police officers to be hired, having already put two in the proposed budget. “If we are going to allocate funds, safety is my first choice,” Dr. Young said. If the grants are received, the district expects the improvements to be made before the next school year.
The board approved a proposed budget of $23,649,473. Dr. Young told the group Kaufman County adjusted value is $641 million, up from last year. “Even with $183 million in dispute, we based our revenue on $609 million, well within our safety measure for our local revenue numbers being met…we figured the template on 96% collection rate…when the final numbers come in, we should have significantly more revenue available than what we show in the budget,” he said.
Dr. Young said the proposed tax rate would be lower than last year, which he called appropriate due to the increase in values.
In other business, trustees:
• Approved selling the tiny house, constructed by the Geometry in Construction class with the proceeds funding the class next year.
• Approved the Primary School Playground renovation for $200,000, using funds from the Autism Grant.
• Approved vendors for investment training, of which one will be the final choice based on scheduling and cost.
• Approved Workers’ Compensation Plan.
• Approved proposed pay for bus drivers, teachers, nurses and librarians.