LAKEWOOD — Numerous schools throughout the region will be receiving additional state funding to pay for physical safety and security upgrades, according to an announcement by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
Speaking Thursday at Lakewood High School near Cleveland, DeWine announced the fourth round of allocations from the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program, which will disburse a combined $68 million to 945 schools throughout the state. The funding was approved by the Ohio Legislature as part of House Bill 45, which was signed into law last month. A total of $112 million was allocated for this round of grants along with a fifth round, an increase over the initial allotment of $105 million for the program’s earlier rounds.
“When we created the K-12 School Safety Grant Program, we expected the need for funding would far exceed the amount of money available, but I vowed to go back to the legislature and ask for more,” DeWine said in a statement. “Now, with the generous support of the Ohio General Assembly, I’m proud to announce that every single qualifying school that applied for a grant will receive funding.”
Examples of upgrades funded through this program include new security cameras, automatic door locks, public address systems, visitor badging systems and exterior lighting. Qualifying schools could receive up to $100,000 through the program.
Area schools receiving funding in this round of allocations are:
Allen County
• Bath — $300,000 split between the elementary, middle and high schools
• Bluffton — $300,000 split between the elementary, middle and high schools
• Perry — $92,282 for the elementary school and $50,000 for the high school
Auglaize County
• Auglaize County Educational Academy — $94,200
• Auglaize County Educational Service Center — $100,000
• Wapakoneta — $400,000 split between Cridersville Elementary and the Wapakoneta elementary, middle and high schools
• Waynesfield-Goshen — $100,000 split between the elementary and high schools
Putnam County
• Fort Jennings — $48,607 for the high school
• Leipsic — $68,360 for the elementary school
• Ottawa-Glandorf — $32,778 for the elementary school
• St. Anthony of Padua, Columbus Grove — $20,000
Van Wert County
• Crestview — $99,455 for the middle school and $41,621 for the high school
• Van Wert — $100,000 for the elementary school
• Vantage Career Center — $61,476
