The Department of Defense has announced an $86,374,326 grant to Hillsborough County Public Schools. This funding is part of a larger $107,967,908 project aimed at replacing Tinker Elementary/Middle School located at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.
The project seeks to address the capacity and condition deficiencies that led to Tinker Elementary/Middle School being ranked as the 60th school on the 2019 Deputy Secretary of Defense "Public Schools on Military Installations Priority List." Once completed, the project will support 927 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
Funding for this initiative comes from the Department's Public Schools on Military Installations Program. The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation prioritizes military installations with schools facing significant capacity and facility condition challenges based on the Priority List.
A Federal Evaluation Team comprising representatives from various branches of the military and the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation assessed the school project. Their evaluation ensured that the award effectively addresses the identified deficiencies in capacity and facility conditions.
The grant aims to resolve these issues at Tinker Elementary/Middle School. It supports service members by improving education quality for defense-connected students and aids in recruiting and retaining essential skills at MacDill Air Force Base. Additionally, it strengthens partnerships between local communities and military installations.
The Public Schools Military Installations Program is managed by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation. It provides funding for constructing, renovating, repairing, or expanding public schools on military installations to tackle capacity or facility condition issues as prioritized by a Secretary of Defense-approved project list. More information about this program can be found at https://oldcc.gov/our-programs/public-schools-military-installations.
