Littleton schools get federal grant for shooting recovery

The Littleton school district has received a $121,200 federal grant to help pay for counseling and school security measures in the wake of last December’s shootings at Arapahoe High School.

A U.S. Department of Education news release reported that “administrators and guidance counselors have seen an increase in student absences, health office visits, discipline referrals and suicide and threat assessments” since the shootings.

Last Dec. 13, student Karl Halverson, 18, entered the school armed with a shotgun and three Molotov cocktails. During the brief incident he shot and killed student Claire Davis, 17, and then killed himself. Halverson reportedly was looking for his debate coach, with whom he had a disagreement.

The funds came from a DOE program that provides grants to schools that have experienced violence or disasters. The Colorado Department of Education earlier received a separate $750,000 grant to help districts affected by last year’s floods. That money was used to reimburse districts for things like transportation costs, additional staffing for relief work, mental health costs and overtime costs.