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Fast
growth grants for Illinois schools
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[OCT. 9, 2004]
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed
House Bill 766 on Friday, establishing fast growth grants for
Illinois schools. This new grant program helps school districts meet
the expense of educating quickly growing student populations. |
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"School districts seeing rapid
enrollment increases need access to state funding to deal with
unique challenges," Gov. Blagojevich said. "When a school's
enrollment grows rapidly, so does the need for books, supplies and
teachers. This law allows schools to quickly respond to those
needs." Sponsored by Rep. Ruth
Munson, R-Elgin, and Sen. Larry Walsh, D-Joliet, the new law
supports the governor's pledge to increase funding for elementary
and secondary education. The $10 million appropriated for fast
growth grants is a portion of the $389 million increase in targeted
education programs in the fiscal 2005 budget.
Illinois State Board of Education
data shows 44 school districts in Illinois are currently eligible
for the grant funds. School districts are eligible to apply if
during the two most recent school years their enrollments have
increased by more than 1.5 percent for districts with over 10,000
students or by 7.5 percent or more for districts with enrollment
under 10,000.
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second column in this article]
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"I was proud to be able to sponsor
this bill in the Senate," said Walsh. "As a senator representing
Will County, the fastest growing county in the state of Illinois, we
have seen unprecedented growth in many of our school districts. Some
of these school districts will receive grants from the $10 million
allotted for this program. These dollars will have a substantial
impact on the ability of the school districts to provide a better
education to our children."
"The funding provided by this bill
will provide significant financial relief for District 300 and many
other local school districts that are experiencing mounting debt due
to high rates of growth in student enrollment," said Rep. Munson.
The law is effective immediately.
Grant funds will be distributed on a per-pupil basis to qualifying
districts.
[News release from the governor's office] |
