January 7, 2025
The Lake County Regional Office of Education (ROE) is proud to announce it has been awarded a $9.9 million grant under the highly competitive Education Innovation and Research (EIR) 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. 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, like 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. This grant underscores Lake County ROE’s leadership, innovation and commitment to meeting the needs of all learners.
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 (ISF) that integrates Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).
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PBIS is a proactive, evidence-based framework schools can utilize to establish clear expectations for student behavior, reward positive actions and provide behavioral support for those who need it.
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MTSS leverages a data-driven approach to ensure each student receives the right level of support, from general classroom strategies to intensive interventions. In this approach, all students begin at tier one support and those with identified needs receive increasingly targeted individualized support to reach their academic, social-emotional and behavioral expectations.
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, “ said Dr. Michael Karner, Lake County Regional Superintendent of Schools
Why This Matters for Lake County
This $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, the 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.
By securing this funding, the 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
More About The EIR Program
The EIR Program, established under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), is rooted in innovation. It supports groundbreaking ideas that address persistent educational challenges and foster equity, particularly for underserved and high-need students. Unlike grants supporting established practices, EIR funding is awarded to programs with the potential to create, validate and scale innovative solutions to long-standing problems. To read more, click here.
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