School Security Improvement Capital Project

On June 9, 2020, community members voted to approve a capital improvement project that addresses security improvements at all 13 of the District’s schools.

When our schools were built, safety and security were looked at differently.  School design was focused on accessibility and were open to the public. However, social changes have required school districts to rethink security.  The 2020 School Security Improvement Project is a proactive approach by the District on security, maximizing the physical and emotional safety of our students.

The 2020 School Security Improvement Project calls for $43.2 million in security renovations throughout the District.  The security improvement recommendations were made following security reviews that began in 2018 and ended in the Spring of 2019.  These security reviews were completed by the Amherst Police Department and a national security expert.  The District’s funding goal was to structure a capital project that would not increase the general fund budget or raise taxes.  The finance plan for this project accomplishes this goal through the District’s debt-service plan, Capital Reserve funding, and New York State building aid.  The plan does not raise taxes.