Governor Quinn Announces $23.3 Million in Capital Funds for Cook County Schools Outside of Chicago

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that the state will provide Cook County elementary and secondary schools outside the City of Chicago with investments totaling $23.3 million. The funds are part of $400 million from the governor’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital program to construct new buildings, expand existing ones and replace outdated energy systems in schools across Illinois, while creating thousands of construction jobs.

“Our children cannot concentrate on learning if they’re sitting in a school that’s crumbling,” Governor Quinn said. “When I became governor, I initiated the first capital construction program in a decade to elevate our schools and universities to world-class status. The quality of learning happening in our schools will drive tomorrow’s economy. These school construction projects will not only raise the standard of learning in our classrooms, they will bring much-needed jobs to workers around our state.”

Twenty-four districts statewide will receive funding this fiscal year after their projects were certified by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Capital Development Board. The funding will allow districts to construct new schools, classroom additions and make overdue renovations to aging buildings. In some cases, the funds will be used to reimburse districts for buildings that have already been constructed. These schools had been on a waiting list for committed state funds since 2003, and it took Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! program to deliver the long-awaited funding.

In addition to the $307 million for statewide school construction, other capital money that will be released includes $50 million for maintenance, $25 million to alleviate overcrowding in some Illinois school districts and $20 million for energy efficiency. This critical funding will help the receiving school districts in every corner of Illinois make schools more accessible to students with disabilities, repair roofing structures and replace old, inefficient heating and cooling systems.

The Cook County school districts outside of the Chicago Public School District that will receive funding include:

Calumet City School District 155
State Share: $3,536,220
Local Share: $1,337,889

The work includes the construction of a one-story, nine-classroom addition to the Wentworth Junior High School for 250 students in grades six to eight. Construction has not been completed.

Riverside Brookfield High School District 208
State Share: $8,907,494
Local Share: $16,542,490

The work includes the construction of several two-story classroom additions (38 classrooms) to the existing facility for 1,100 high school students in grades nine to 12. It involves the renovation of the original portion of the building constructed in 1918, as well as later additions constructed in the 1920s and 1930s. This project has been completed.

Maine Township High School District 207
State Share: $2,190,994
Local Share: $4,068,989

The work includes renovation to create four new classrooms at Maine South High School and the construction of a one-story, nine-classroom addition for 288 students in grades nine to 12 at the Maine West High School. The project has been completed.

Thornton School District 154
State Share: $444,968
Local Share: $826,368

The work includes the construction of a one-story, four-classroom addition to the Wolcott Elementary School for 100 students in grades K-1. The project has been completed.

Elementary School District 159, Matteson
State Share: $8,311,216
Local Share: $12,904,504

The work includes the construction of the one-story, 45-classroom Colin Powell Middle School for 1,320 students in grades six to eight. The project has been completed.

These school construction projects are part of Governor Quinn’s $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest capital construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest capital construction programs in the nation.