COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Just more than $450 million for nine new Ohio K-12 building projects was announced July 8 by the state commission that oversees funding of school construction, the second of two major spending packages for school construction and renovation as the coronavirus pandemic has eased.

The projects announced by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission include $117 million for Cleveland city schools, which will use the money to build two new pre-K through eighth grade buildings and a new high school, and to renovate a middle school. The Cleveland project includes $37.5 million in local funding.

The money also will provide $103.2 million for Lancaster city schools in southeastern Ohio, including $56.8 million in local funding, to build a new high school that also will house a career tech program.

Spending approved also includes $29 million for Metro Early College High School in Columbus, a K-12 STEM school that will move into a renovated Columbus middle school.

The commission approved an additional $336 million for six building projects in April.

The school construction program dates back more than 20 years and was created as part of state efforts to comply with court orders that had declared school funding in Ohio unconstitutional. CEG