Ryan Announces $483 Million in Grants for School Construction Throughout State

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced $482.6 million in state school construction grants to help school districts relieve overcrowded classrooms and replace aging educational facilities without forcing local homeowners and businesses to pay the entire cost of the improvements through higher real estate taxes.

"Through the Illinois FIRST program, we have nearly doubled the state's efforts to improve the physical facilities in which children learn," Ryan said. "We are easing the burden on local property tax payers by using state funds to help create more modern environments in which teachers can teach and children can learn."

Since its inception in 1997, the state's school construction program has provided nearly $1.4 billion in state funds to assist 251 school districts in every area of the state, including the 67 districts for which Ryan announced grants today.

Under the program jointly administered by the Capital Development Board and the State Board of Education, school districts must secure a local share of construction funds before receiving any state grant funds. The grants range from 35 percent to 75 percent of eligible construction costs. Enhancements such as swimming pools and auditoriums are not considered eligible project costs and are excluded from any grant calculations.

Currently, only those projects that address emergency needs, crowded classrooms and old buildings are being funded.

Today, Governor Ryan stopped in Chicago, Plainfield, Elmhurst and Beach Park school construction sites on a one-day flyaround to present grant checks to local school officials for the projects.

CHICAGO -- Governor Ryan awarded the Chicago Public Schools a $96.5 million state school construction grant to help Illinois' largest school district build new schools to relieve overcrowding and upgrade classrooms.

The Chicago public schools, by law, receive 20 percent of the program funding. Since 1998, the school system has received $276.5 million in state funds for school construction projects.

Ryan made the announcement at the Calumet Career Preparation Academy, which is being rehabilitated to enhance career educational programs. The enhancements began in 1998 with a $2 million buidling investment that included new and renovated labs, a teaching kitchen, electrical power upgrades, new computers and classroom accessibility improvements.

A new $3 million project at the facility in fiscal year 2001 will include renovations of the heating and ventilation systems.

BEACH PARK -- Governor Ryan awarded the Beach Park Community Consolidated School District $11.1 million in state school construction funds to build a new middle school and increase classroom size in two other buildings to help alleviate enrollment growth in northeastern Lake County.

Governor Ryan also announced the school construction program has earmarked $4 million for additions to two existing schools in the Diamond Lake School District; $2.9 million to construct an addition for 550 students for Grant Community High School District 124; $3.6 million to construct additions at four schools in Lake Forest School District 67; $7 million to construct an Early Education Center, classroom space for 900 middle school students, classroom space for 200 high school students in Round Lake Community Unit School District 116; and $7 million and an addition for 360 students at Highland Park High School and an addition for 870 students at Deerfield High School in Township High School District 113.

For McHenry County, the program has earmarked $10.9 million to construct a new junior high school and an addition to the existing Cary Junior High School in Cary Elementary School District 26.

ELMHURST -- Governor Ryan awarded the Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 a $13.1 million school construction grant to replace York Community High School, which dates back to 1919.

Governor Ryan also announced the school construction program has earmarked $1.5 million for the Addison School District 4 for additions to two existing elementary schools. For western Cook County, the program has earmarked$18.2 million to the Cicero Public School District 99 to construct two middle schools; $7.5 million to construct several additions at the North High School campus to house 700 students for the Niles Township High School District 219; $3.2 million to construct additions at Costello, Washington, and Robinson Elementary Schools in Lyons Elementary School District 103. For Kane County, $45.2 million for various school improvement and construction projects throughout the Elgin School District U-46.

PLAINFIELD -- Governor Ryan awarded the Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, a $17.2 million school construction grant to build five new schools in Will County, which serves one of the fastest growing areas in the state.

Governor Ryan also announced the school construction program has earmarked $7.1 million for a new junior high school in New Lenox, and $2.5 million for additional classrooms for fifth through eighth grade students at the Elwood School. For southern Cook County, the program has earmarked $5.6 million to construct a new kindergarten through sixth grade center at Prairie Hills; $1.5 million to classroom space for 300 elementary students at Matteson Elementary School; and $47, 857 for a classroom at the Morton Gingerwood School in Arbor Park. An additional $8.8 million was granted to DuPage, Kankakee and Grundy county schools to increase classrooms at Naperville, Grant Park, Herscher and Morris schools.

Ryan's Illinois First program added $1.1 billion in state funding to the program, which originally had allocated $1.4 billion in state grant funds. Local school districts have provided more than $1.5 billion toward school construction projects in their own areas. With local matching funds, the program over time will address some $5 billion in educational facility needs in Illinois.

"This program is a partnership with local schools," Ryan said. "It responds to local needs and local initiative."

The Governor and General Assembly approved $500 million in school construction grant funds for Fiscal Year 2001.

The next deadline for grant applications to the State Board of Education is April 1, 2001. Attached is a list of grant recipients.