Our Programs

Public Schools on Military Installations

The Public Schools on Military Installations program funds projects to address condition and capacity issues.

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Program Updates

The Public Schools on Military Installations Program has invited schools 1-71 on the Deputy Secretary of Defense’s Priority List. No funding was provided to Program in Fiscal Year 2024.  

The Public Schools on Military Installations program is a by-invitation-only program administered by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation. This program is designed to respond to condition and capacity deficiencies at schools identified on the Deputy Secretary of Defense’s Priority List and helps to address local family life needs. 

Currently, there are more than 160 public schools located on military installations. These schools are owned and operated by Local Education Agencies or school districts but are located within the boundaries of a military installation. Many of these schools may be outdated, in disrepair, and in need of upgrades, and/or schools are also often operating at or above capacity with too many students, not enough classroom space, and are functionally inadequate. 

In correcting these challenges, projects under this program improve the quality of education for defense-connected students, aid in the recruitment and retention of vital skills at the benefiting installation, enhance partnerships between communities and installations, and keeps the faith with our servicemembers and their families.

Public Schools on Military Installations Before and After Photos 


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For updates about the Public Schools on Military Installations Program, sign up here.

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Eligibility and Requirements

Local Education Authorities are invited into the program based upon their placement on the Deputy Secretary of Defense's Schools Priority Listing. Eligible Local Education Agency school projects will only be invited into the program if appropriations become available in any given year.  

Activities under the program may include the construction, renovation, repair, or expansion of public schools to address capacity and/or facility condition deficiencies as prioritized by the Deputy Secretary of Defense’s Priority List.

Once invited to submit a proposal, Local Education Agencies develop proposals that describe the project scope, to include addressing identified condition and capacity deficiencies.  Each invited project is unique to the community it must serve and is evaluated on the basis of its long-term responsiveness to the identified condition and capacity issues. 

Projects must comply with state and local design standards, educational specifications, and installation requirements.

Technical Assistance 

Technical assistance for Public Schools on Military Installations project activities include: 

  • Project scoping assistance 
  • Assistance with planning and developing design requirements 
  • Providing lessons learned and best practices  
  • Proposal and grant development guidance 
  • Facilitating communication with local military installations and/or other Federal programs 
  • Project management guidance 
  • Providing grants for planning, design and construction activities to address identified facility deficiencies 
  • General grant support 

See Terms and Conditions  for more information on specific grant policy and alignment to Federal regulations.