State Senator Doris Turner has announced a significant boost for education in the 48th District, with five school districts receiving a total of nearly $18,000. The funds, allocated through the School District Library Grant Program, will be used to promote resources in libraries, including books, e-books, audiobooks, multilingual materials, technology, and various programs.

Senator Turner spoke on the importance of investing in libraries, stating that it is crucial for students to have access to fundamental resources that provide educational value. She highlighted the necessity of prioritizing students to ensure they become lifelong learners.

The grant amounts, determined by a statutory formula of $0.885 per enrolled student at each school with a qualified library, were distributed to the following school districts in the 48th District:

Ball-Chatham School District received $3,935. Decatur Public School District 61 with $6,125. Edinburg CUSD 4 got $850. Rochester CUSD 3A took in $1,722. And Springfield Public School District 186 received $5,283

These funds, awarded annually, are expected to support school library services for over 1 million students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade across the state. The grants are sourced from the General Reserve Fund and are specifically appropriated for this educational purpose by the Illinois General Assembly.

Senator Turner praised the progress made by Illinois in building bright futures for its youth, citing the funding as a testament to the state's commitment to education. A full list of libraries that received funding can be found on the Secretary of State's website at www.senatordoristurner.com.