01/22/2026

Gov. Mike DeWine announces $10M in school bus safety grants for Ohio schools: See the complete list of awards

Dave DeNatale

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio officials on Thursday announced $10 million in school bus safety grants awarded to hundreds of schools, districts and county boards of developmental disabilities across the state, including several in Greater Cleveland.

Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin said in a release that the funding will be distributed to 371 recipients to support safety upgrades on existing school buses and add advanced safety features to new buses.

“Whether students are in the classroom or on the school bus, we owe it to parents and families to do everything we can to keep them safe,” DeWine said in a statement. “We’re raising the bar for student safety on Ohio’s buses.”

The grants were developed following recommendations from the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which DeWine convened to examine student transportation safety statewide. A report issued by the group in January 2024 concluded that school buses remain the safest mode of transportation for students but identified opportunities to further improve safety.

The working group issued 17 recommendations, including enhancements to bus safety features, expanded driver training and improved emergency response procedures.

“Student safety is our top priority, and Ohio is investing in critical safety improvements to equip school buses with proven technology that keeps children safe,” Dackin added.

All schools and districts that applied for funding for eligible safety features received awards, according to the release. Here were some of the noteworthy awards for districts and boards in Northeast Ohio:

• Akron Public Schools - $115,037

• Amherst Exempted Village Schools - $64,893

• Garfield Heights City School District - $49,040

• Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities - $39,146

• Maple Heights City School District - $54,186

• Marlington Local School District - $105,215

• Norwayne Local School District - $50,187

• Sandy Valley Local School District - $86,809

• Vermilion Local School District - $65,132

• Willoughby-Eastlake City School District - $151,476

The Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program allows districts flexibility to tailor improvements to their needs. Funds may be used to repair, replace or add approved safety features on buses currently in service, or to incorporate safety enhancements into new bus purchases.

You can see the full list of Ohio School Bus Safety Grant awards below.