Gloucester and Mathews public school systems will each benefit from part of the $12 million in state School Security Equipment Grants announced Friday by the Virginia Department of Education.

The General Assembly doubled the total annual appropriation for the grant program from $6 million to $12 million for this year. It also approved Governor Ralph Northam’s proposal to increase the maximum award per school division from $100,000 to $250,000.

Gloucester Public Schools will receive the maximum award of $250,000. School division director of operations Bryan Hartley said the money will be used toward the purchase of two-way radios for all county school buses.

Mathews will receive $38,720 in security grant funds. School division superintendent Nancy Welch said about 40 percent of Mathews school buses already have two-way radios, and the funds received should equip the remaining buses with radios.

In addition, Welch said some of the funds will provide security cameras for buse...