School Safety Program Expands to 10 Marana Schools
School Safety Program Expands to 10 Marana Schools
School safety - the well-being of students and staff, has always been a top priority for Marana Unified School District (MUSD). Thanks to a $2.4 million grant from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), MUSD is expanding its School Safety Officer (SSO) program to provide an off-duty police officer on 10 additional school campuses this year. Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, the majority – 16 of 19 MUSD K-12 schools, will have a dedicated police presence.
The grant application considered the successful partnership of 10+ years with the Town of Marana, the Marana Police Department (MPD), and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department to help ensure secure campuses with the presence of School Resource Officers (SROs), counselors, and social workers. During this time, the ADE School Safety Program has provided over $5M for these positions.
For the 2026-27 year, in addition to supporting SROs at Marana High, Marana Middle, Tortolita Middle and Mountain View High School, and school counselors at Estes Elementary, Gladden Farms Elementary, Picture Rocks Elementary, and Mountain View High School, the program will place SSOs at campuses that have not previously had a law enforcement presence. These positions are one-year unless noted.
- Butterfield Elementary School
- Coyote Trail Elementary School
- DeGrazia Elementary School
- Ironwood Elementary School
- Quail Run Elementary School
- Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary School
- Roadrunner Elementary School (3-year)
- Marana Vista Academy
- Tangerine Farms K-8
- MCAT High School
The grant also provides three years of funding for SSOs at Twin Peaks K-8 and Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8, a continuation of funding and police presence on campus.
Across Arizona, there is a shortage of officers available for full-time SRO assignments. ADE created the SSO model through Off Duty Management (ODM) to allow certified Arizona police officers to serve schools as SSOs during the instructional day. SROs and SSOs serve similar functions, providing a police presence on school campuses. However, SROs remain consistent every day - the same officer shows up to their assigned school, while SSOs may rotate based on officer availability.
SSOs and SROs are described by teachers as trusted mentors who work alongside school administrators and teaching staff to support student success. They build positive relationships with students and families while providing education on internet safety, bullying prevention, conflict resolution, substance abuse prevention, and responsible decision-making. They are a welcome presence on school campuses.
Regardless of it being an SRO or SSO, the additional police presence is being acknowledged as a positive step for enhancing safety and security across Marana Schools.
“Our district has a strong reputation of working collaboratively with local law enforcement and the Town of Marana to ensure the safety of our students and staff. This is another effort that will significantly enhance our efforts,” said Josh Bayne, Executive Director of Educational Services.
"SSOs have been an integral part of our school team," said Nikki Simpson, Associate Principal at Twin Peaks K-8. "They not only provide an additional layer of safety on our campus, but they are also a friendly adult who connects with our students, and supports staff during busy times including drop-off, pick-up, recess, and lunch. Officers regularly speak and connect with many students, with the ability to also helpfully guide them through tougher life situations."
Mr. Bayne added that the investment strengthens MUSD's commitment to creating welcoming campuses where every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn. "The ADE School Safety Program grant will substantially increase the presence of law enforcement on MUSD campuses and is a great step toward full coverage of all campuses."