WAUKEGAN – The Lake County Regional Office of Education has been awarded a $9.9 million grant under the highly competitive Education Innovation and Research Program.
The five-year grant will fund the ISF-SHINE 2025-2029 Project (School Health and Interventions for Nurturing Excellence), an innovative program aimed at transforming student well-being, behavior and academic success in elementary schools across Lake County, according to a news release.
As one of only 33 recipients nationwide this year, Lake County joins prestigious institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, the University of Pennsylvania and the American Institutes for Research in receiving funding for educational research and programming.
Mid-phase grants such as the one awarded to Lake County ROE are designed to fund the implementation and rigorous evaluation of programs that have already demonstrated success at a local level. The grant underscores Lake County ROE’s leadership, innovation and commitment to meeting the needs of all learners, according to the release. The ISF-SHINE 2025-2029 Project aims to enhance student well-being, behavior and academic achievement in Lake County elementary schools by refining the Interconnected Systems Framework that integrates Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support.
Under the ISF framework, Lake County ROE assists local schools in implementing PBIS and MTSS to create a unified system of social, emotional and behavioral support for students while fostering collaboration and staff excellence.
“This investment will improve student well-being, behavior and academic achievement while expanding critical mental health services for our students,” Michael Karner, Lake County regional superintendent of schools, said in the release.
Why it matters for Lake County
The $9.9 million grant means more than funding. It’s an investment in the future of Lake County. By bringing these dollars to the region, ROE is making high-impact educational improvements without adding costs to taxpayers. Every resident in Lake County stands to benefit from this initiative, which will strengthen schools, expand mental health resources and foster innovation that could serve as a model for other regions nationwide, according to the release. By securing this funding, ROE delivers a powerful return on investment to the community, bringing national resources directly into Lake County classrooms and creating opportunities for lasting positive change.
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