Columbus, Ohio – Ohio is putting new money behind a simple promise that parents want to believe in every morning their child steps onto a bus, that student safety comes first.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin announced the award of $10 million in Ohio School Bus Safety Grants to 371 schools, districts, and county boards of developmental disabilities statewide. The funding is meant to strengthen safety on school buses across the state by supporting upgrades to buses already on the road and helping add advanced safety features to new buses.
State leaders said the grants are focused on keeping students safer during daily travel, when thousands of children depend on school transportation to get to and from class. The money can help districts improve equipment, modernize safety tools, and reduce risks during emergencies or dangerous driving situations.
“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,” said Governor DeWine. “We’re raising the bar for student safety on Ohio’s buses, and these grant awards demonstrate our dedication to making school transportation safer.”
Grant program built from statewide safety recommendations
The Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program was developed after recommendations from the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which DeWine convened to take a closer look at student transportation. The goal was not to claim that school buses are unsafe, but to examine where improvements could still be made and how technology and training could strengthen an already strong system.
The working group’s January 2024 recommendations report confirmed that school buses remain the safest form of transportation for students. Still, the report also made clear that there are opportunities to make them even safer. The group issued 17 recommendations, which included strategies for improving bus safety features, driver training, and emergency response.
Director Dackin said the state is making a direct investment in tools that can help protect children during everyday rides.
“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,” said Director Dackin.
State officials said all schools and districts that applied for funding for eligible safety features received an award, meaning every approved applicant will benefit from the grant program. That approach helps spread safety improvements across Ohio rather than limiting the funding to only a small number of districts.
The program is designed to give schools flexibility, since transportation needs can vary widely between urban districts, rural communities, and specialized county services. Under the Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program, funding may be used for the repair, replacement, or addition of authorized safety features on school buses currently in service. It can also be used for safety enhancements on new school bus purchases, helping districts add advanced protections from the start rather than retrofitting later.
Officials encouraged districts and families to learn more through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program webpage, where details about the program and its eligible improvements are available.
With the grant awards now announced, Ohio leaders are signaling that school transportation safety is not being treated as an afterthought. Instead, it is being pushed forward as a statewide priority, backed by funding and shaped by recommendations focused on keeping children protected on every route.
