The Department of Defense (DoD) announced today the allocation of a $57,701,575 grant to North Chicago School District 187 as part of a larger $72,126,969 project to replace Forrestal Elementary School at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois. This grant, provided by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, aims to address significant facility capacity and condition deficiencies at the school.
Forrestal Elementary School was ranked 68th on the 2019 Deputy Secretary of Defense’s “Public Schools on Military Installations Priority List,” which identifies schools on military bases that require urgent improvements. The new facility will serve 580 students from kindergarten through fifth grade, enhancing their educational environment.
The funding comes from the Department’s Public Schools on Military Installations Program, which prioritizes schools on military bases with the most severe deficiencies. A Federal Evaluation Team, including representatives from the Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force, Army, Navy, and the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, carefully reviewed the project to ensure it addresses the necessary capacity and condition issues.
By resolving these critical deficiencies at Forrestal Elementary, the grant supports the well-being of service members’ families, improves education quality for defense-connected students, and strengthens the relationship between Naval Station Great Lakes and the surrounding community. This investment is also expected to aid in the recruitment and retention of essential personnel at the installation.–News Desk