Representative Troy Announces over $260,000 in School Bus Safety Grants to Lake County School Districts and the County Board of Developmental Disabilities

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Daniel Troy (D-Willowick) today announced $263,595 in School Bus Safety Grants to several Lake County School Districts and the Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities/Deepwood.

“As a member of the House Finance Committee, I advocated for and strongly supported the appropriation of these funds in our current state budget to help our school districts enhance the safety of our students,” stated Rep.  Troy. “I am glad to see this program help students in my district and across the state.”

This funding comes from the Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program, a newly established initiative to help Ohio schools repair, replace, and add authorized safety features to school buses in active service. The program was designed to be flexible, allowing schools to make purchases that fit their specific safety needs. 

The Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program was established at the recommendation of the Governor’s School Bus Safety Working group, and its funds were appropriated by the state legislature in the 2026-27 state operating budget (HB 96). 

On January 22, 2026, the program awarded 371 grants to schools, districts, and county boards of developmental disabilities across the state, totaling $10 million. Grant recipients from Representative Troy’s district included the Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities/Deepwood, which received a $39,146 grant, and the Mentor Exempted Village School District, which received $29,383 from the program.

The largest grant in the district, and one of the largest grants awarded in the state, went to the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District (WECSD) which received $151,476.

“The Willoughby-Eastlake City School District is excited to receive these School Bus Safety Grant funds,” said WECSD treasurer, Nick Ciarniello. “This grant award is aligned with our district's Shared Vision for Fiscal Responsibility and Operations. It provides funding for equipment that ensures the safety of over 5,000 students who ride district buses each day.”

Mr. Ciarniello explained that the district plans to use the funds to assist in the purchase and installation of new safety equipment on about a quarter of the district’s buses. This equipment includes enhanced broadband mobile radio equipment, backup cameras, and seat back safety restraints that conform to the requirements of 49 CFR 571. 

Other Lake County grant recipients included Madison Local Schools ($15,445), Perry Local School District ($11,174), Kirtland Local Schools ($8,802), and Riverside Local School District ($8,169).