By 1812Blockhouse, Office of Governor DeWine
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced this week that the state will support the installation of security upgrades at more than 700 K-12 schools across Ohio.
A total of 708 schools in 57 counties will receive $57.8 million in grant funding to enhance student and staff safety. Governor DeWine is awarding the funds as part of his K-12 School Safety Grant Program, which helps schools with physical security expenses, such as new security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems, and exterior lighting.
Richland County schools were included.
“We are being proactive in keeping our schools safe in Ohio. Student and staff safety is paramount,” said Governor DeWine. “These safety grants are helping schools create environments that are secure and welcoming for teachers and their students.”
Today’s announcement represents the third round of grants awarded as part of the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program. In the first round, $5 million in state funding was awarded to 95 schools in 27 counties. Governor DeWine then partnered with the Ohio General Assembly to increase funding for the program by an additional $100 million, and he announced the availability of the second round of funding in August, totaling $42.2 million for 1,065 schools.
The remaining $57.8 million in grants announced today are being awarded through a competitive process to public school districts and chartered non-public schools, with a maximum award of $100,000 per school. The grant program is administered by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission in partnership with the Ohio School Safety Center.
“School safety plays a crucial role in the academic success of students,” said Cheryl J. Lyman, executive director of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. “Students who do not feel safe at school cannot learn to their fullest potential.”
Governor DeWine created the Ohio School Safety Center in 2019 to assist local schools, colleges and universities, and law enforcement agencies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to threats and acts of violence, including self-harm, through a holistic, solutions-based approach to improving school safety.
Richland County school awards were as follows:
Crestview High School – $95,000
Crestview Middle School – $95,000
GOAL Digital Academy – $72,888
Mifflin Elementary – $52,933
Mansfield Middle School — $22,320
Spanish Immersion – $35,120
Tyger Digital Academy – $50,000
Ontario High School – $100,000
Ontario Middle School – $100,000
Stingel Elementary – $100,000
