Florida State Funding
State Funding
Florida provides school-safety funding and legal requirements that support emergency communication, panic alert systems, digital school mapping, and district-level safety initiatives.
Alyssa’s Law in Florida
Florida passed its version of Alyssa’s Law through Senate Bill 70 in 2020. The law was named in memory of Alyssa Alhadeff and made Florida one of the first states to require mobile panic alert systems in public schools.
The purpose of the law is to improve emergency response during life-threatening incidents by giving school personnel a faster way to alert first responders and coordinate emergency action.
For compliance, districts must ensure that their mobile panic alert systems meet Florida’s statutory requirements, including real-time coordination with first responders and integration with local public safety answering point infrastructure.
Alyssa’s Alert: Mobile Panic Alert System Requirement
Under Florida Statute §1006.07(4), every Florida public school, including charter schools, must implement a mobile panic alert system known as Alyssa’s Alert.
The system must be able to connect different emergency services technologies and support real-time coordination among multiple first-responder agencies during a school security emergency. It must also integrate with local public safety answering point infrastructure to transmit 911 calls and mobile activations.
Florida initially provided recurring state funding to support the rollout of these systems. However, there is not currently a separate, dedicated statewide grant program for new panic alert deployments or future upgrades. As a result, districts may need to use available district-controlled safety funding or other eligible funding sources to maintain, expand, or improve these systems.
Beginning in FY2025–26, Florida law also directs the Department of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Management Services, to identify a centralized system that can receive alerts from panic alert systems and integrate digital maps used by public schools, charter schools, and other educational institutions.
Safe Schools Allocation
The Safe Schools Allocation is a recurring funding stream provided annually to Florida school districts through the Florida Education Finance Program.
Districts may use this allocation to support a broad range of school-safety activities, including security personnel, emergency preparedness, safety technology, and communication systems used during emergency response.
Because the funding is distributed to districts and supports local safety needs, it may be an important source for maintaining panic alert systems, improving emergency communication, and supporting other school-security priorities.
The funding information and links provided on this page are based on publicly available information at the time of publication. While we make every effort to keep this resource current and relevant, funding programs, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and website links may change over time. If you discover outdated information, inaccurate content, or a broken link, please let us know by emailing info@carehawk.com.