Staff report

Numerous local school districts in Trumbull and Mahoning counties and the Lake to River Economic Development area were recently awarded more than $1 million in funding from the Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program.

As part of the state operating budget, the Legislature provided $10 million toward helping school districts offset the costs of upgrading their bus fleets with advanced safety equipment. Flexible guidelines allowed each school district to best utilize the funds to promote safety in their fleet.

“Keeping our kids safe on the ride to and from school is a responsibility we all share. This funding helps our local districts invest in proven safety technology while giving them the flexibility to meet their unique needs. I’m proud we delivered these dollars back to Trumbull County and the Lake to River region to protect students, drivers and families,” State Rep. Nick Santucci, R-Niles, said, in making the funding announcement.

Ohio Gov. 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 grants will help ensure safer travel for Ohio students through safety upgrades to existing buses and the addition of advanced safety features on 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. “We’re raising the bar for student safety on Ohio’s buses, and these grant awards demonstrate our dedication to making school transportation safer.”

The grant program was developed following recommendations from the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which DeWine convened to review all aspects of student transportation.

In its report issued in January 2024, the working group concluded that while school buses remain the safest mode of transportation for students traveling to and from school, opportunities existed to make school buses even safer than they are today. To accomplish this goal, the working group recommended the state offer funding to districts to offset the costs associated with upgrading school bus fleets with safety equipment that meets specific needs.

The report lists a total of 17 recommendations related to bus driver recruitment and retention, training and education, school bus safety features, road and traffic safety, emergency response and commercial bus services.

During its review, members of the working group found that the quality of annual bus driver training varies across the state and recommended that the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce develop a uniform curriculum. The group also recommended that the agency develop a regional advanced bus driver training program and work with the Ohio General Assembly to offer the training to school districts at no cost.

Additional recommendations include improved access to professional development and wellness support for bus drivers; expanded public and parental engagement; school zone and bus route safety audits; and enhanced penalties for drivers of other vehicles who violate traffic laws in school zones or around school buses.

The group did not recommend that the state mandate seat belts for all school buses. Because hazards impacting school bus travel vary across school districts, all group members agreed that schools should have the flexibility to invest in seat belts or any other school bus safety equipment that best meet their unique needs. In addition to seat belts, the report outlined other safety options that districts could choose to consider.

The following Mahoning County school districts received funding:

• Austintown, $70,419

• Boardman, $31,927

• Canfield, $10,500

•Jackson-Milton, $20,030

• Lowellville, $22,180

• Poland, $5,000

• South Range, $34,651

• Struthers, $37,266

• West Branch, $7,921

• Western Reserve, $24,387

• Youngstown, $244,245

The following Trumbull County school districts received funding:

• Bristol, $10,696

• Brookfield, $6,321

• Girard, $9,397

• Howland, $18,836

• Hubbard, $14,034

• Liberty, $9,321

• Lordstown, $9,049

• McDonald, $7,482

• Newton Falls, $27,388

• Niles, $10,566

• Southington, $48,884

• Weathersfield, $11,137