Details on state programs aimed at school safety

Some of the major state programs aimed at school safety:

- School Safety Block Grants: $101 million approved by the Legislature last summer for grants of up to $10,000 for schools with eighth- to 12th-graders to use on any school safety program. State officials say 877 districts and 50 county education offices have applied; 55 percent plan to hire additional school counselors and 25 percent will buy classroom telephones and other security devices such as metal detectors.

- School Community Policing Grants: $10 million for school districts to use community policing in partnership with local police to improve safety.

- Governor's School Safety Cell Phones: Gov. Gray Davis last year announced that AirTouch Cellular was donating $7 million worth of cellular phones and service to 10,000 high school classrooms in 23 California counties. The phones will allow teachers to call only police in an emergency.

- Training: The state Department of Education holds training for school teams in conflict resolution and youth mediation and in hate-motivated behavior violence prevention.

- High-Risk Youth: $3.6 million for two grant programs aimed at helping juveniles who are likely to get into serious trouble and helping those who are in juvenile halls re-enter school.

- Truancy: $10 million for a three-year grant program to have local school officials improve efforts to keep kids from skipping school.

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Source: Department of Education.