COLUMBUS, Ohio — School districts across four southern Ohio counties will receive more than $260,000 in state funding to improve school bus safety, according to awards issued through the Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program. The funding is part of $10 million approved by state lawmakers in the most recent operating budget to help districts offset the cost of adding or upgrading safety equipment on school buses. Districts may use the money for safety enhancements on new buses or to retrofit buses currently in service. According to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, every district that applied for eligible equipment under the program received an award. The following school districts in Fayette, Highland, Pike, and Ross counties were awarded funding:Fayette CountyMiami Trace Local School District — $20,629Highland CountyBright Local School District — $5,000Fairfield Local School District — $7,062Greenfield Exempted Village School District — $17,862Hillsboro City School District — $26,386Lynchburg-Clay Local School District — $14,488Pike CountyEastern Local School District — $26,198Waverly City School District — $53,823Ross CountyAdena Local School District — $65,105Southeastern Local School District — $23,614State officials said the grants are intended to help districts improve student safety during daily transportation, including the use of advanced safety technology on school buse