Connecticut is making $5 million available immediately to cities and towns to help reimburse them for school safety and security upgrades following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced the first round of funding on Friday for the competitive grant program included in the General Assembly's response to the Newtown shooting. He appeared at Hartford's Classical Magnet School with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan for a town hall-style discussion about school security and education reform.

At least two more $5 million rounds are expected next year.

Schools in Newtown will receive $1.3 million dollars in federal aid to recover after the December 14th shootings.  Duncan announced the School Emergency Response to Violence grant during a visit to the state Friday.  The grant is designed to offset costs the district incurred after the shooting as well as provide counseling and training for school officials. 

Since 2001, the Education Department has given more than $33.5 million dollars to 106 schools recovering from violence, weather or other disruptive incidents.