Superintendent Tom Horne has called on Arizona lawmakers and the Governor to prioritize additional funding for the state’s School Safety Program following a recent incident involving a firearm at a Phoenix elementary school.
The issue comes after two students were detained when a gun was found on campus, prompting renewed discussion about security measures in schools. Horne said the discovery underscores the importance of having armed officers present to prevent potential tragedies.
“The discovery of a gun on an elementary school campus is very disturbing and once again shows how important it is that schools have armed officers on campus. My biggest fear is that a maniac with a gun shoots up a school, killing or wounding children and adults as has happened in other states. For the upcoming state budget, the legislature and Governor are going to consider added funding for the highly successful School Safety Program so we can add more officers on campuses. They must do so. The need is clearly there, and we must have safe schools in Arizona,” Horne said. “Up to now, we have never had to deny a grant request and my hope is that we never do. Imagine if a school asked for an officer but the funding was not available and a maniac got on campus and killed people. Parents would never forgive that.”
The School Safety Program relies primarily on state funds, currently supporting 498 School Resource or Safety Officers as well as counselors at over 1,100 schools statewide. The grant application process remains open through mid-April, with approximately $103 million already requested by districts and charters for fiscal year 2027—enough to fund more than 700 positions for both officers and counselors.
Horne concluded, “The high number of requests for money to pay for officers and counselors speaks volumes to the concerns school leaders have about campus safety. As last week’s incident in Phoenix shows, the need for officers is great. The legislature and Governor must not fail in their efforts to find the resources schools need to protect innocent lives.” Source
