Two-thirds of the way through his 2026 State of the State speech, Gov. JB Pritzker forecast, in 40 words, the future of the crumbling building that was once called Rich East High School.

“I propose we create a vocational training grant program,” the governor said, “which will provide school districts a regional vocational center with support to build and expand a specialized workforce program like the proposed Southland Career and Technical Education Center in Park Forest.”

The governor’s proposal puts a hammer in the hands of High School District 227 and Superintendent Johnnie Phillips, in his public five-year campaign to turn the unused building which was once the pride of the community into a vocational training ground in everything from plumbing and policing to flying a plane.

And thank you for asking how much it would cost.

According to a Chicago marketing group which is collaborating with the school district, it would take an estimated $100 million to replace the deteriorating building with a new structure.

If all the I’s and Ts are dotted and crossed, plans are to turn over the first shovelful of dirt in summer 2027 with financial support coming from both federal and state grants. School programs would be funded through money doled out by the Illinois State Board of Education.

When in operation, students in other schools would be transported to the Park Forest school but according to the marketing group, school districts would not have to tap into their budgets.

For the record, Rich East has been closed for six years and was seen as the symbol of a community’s hope for the future when, in 1951, pioneer residents of the new village voted 1,828 to 12 to tax themselves by creating a high school. Among its list of graduates are actor Tom Berenger, opera singer Dawn Upshaw, NBA star Craig Hodges and major league baseball players Pete and Steve Stanicek.

A sign over the front door of the former Rich East High School in Park Forest. There are plans for a vocational center in the vacated building. (Penny Shnay/for the Daily Southtown)

When the Rich East campus closed, depending on home addresses Rich East students were funneled into the two remaining high schools, Rich South in Richton Park or Rich Central in Olympia Field school.

Frustration station

The 11 members of Park Forest’s Civic Leadership Academy got an earful and then some last Friday from two members of the state legislature who discussed the difficulties of getting anything done in Springfield.

Both state Sen. Patrick Joyce and state Rep. Anthony DeLuca expressed exasperation in what they said were their attempts to pass legislation that would alleviate the large property tax burden inflicted upon residents as well as checking the economic clout of school districts.

DeLuca spent time arguing that school funding, which is the biggest reason for high property taxes, is an ongoing problem with the hungry financial appetites of some districts to always ask the maximum and criticized the plethora of school districts.

“The system is broken,” DeLuca said.

Joyce agreed.

“We have to reform school districts who ask for the maximum,” he said.

According to the nonprofit group Illinois Policy, Illinois has more than 850 school districts with more than half serving fewer than 1,000 students.

Economic drivers for the south suburbs, such as a third airport and a “racino” (a combined horse racetrack and casino) was also discussed. A bill which would allow two racinos to be built in the state, including one in Richton Park, is still awaiting passage in the legislature.

In 2015, Park Forest, which has one of the highest property tax assessments in the state, started this academy which offers residents the opportunity to pry open village government and see how it ticks.

Perhaps there was a reason when Joyce asked the audience how many of them were willing to use tax dollars to keep the Bears, one person slowly raised a hand and then pulled it down.

That can happen when “we need” clashes with “we want.”

Jerry Shnay is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

 

 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/09/column-gov-jb-pritzker-rich-east/