AURORA – State Senator Linda Holmes has announced that five school districts in Kane and DuPage counties will receive an additional $1.8 million in evidence-based funding, on top of the base funding provided by the state.

“Added funding for our public schools since we implemented the evidence-based approach is leading to improved student outcomes,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “Our local school districts are seeing progress in their students’ accomplishments that reflect the high-quality education they and their families deserve.”

The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula — an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate and number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.

AURORA – State Senator Linda Holmes and State Representative Matt Hanson are inviting district residents to their upcoming end-of-session town hall to learn about recent legislation and state budget investments.

“One of our most important responsibilities as lawmakers is two-way communication with our constituents – hearing and responding to your concerns about the local impact of state investments and identifying our area’s opportunities for this year and the future,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “We’ve built on recent years’ strength and positioned Illinois to weather ongoing chaos from the administration in Washington.”

The town hall will be held Tuesday, July 22 at the Geneva Public Library, located at 227 S. 7th St. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. This event will provide residents of the 42nd Senate District and 83rd House District an evening to hear from Holmes and Hanson and ask questions about the state’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget and its impact locally.

AURORA – State Senator Linda Holmes announced eight area libraries are set to receive a combined total of more than $622,000 for library services and programming.

“Our public libraries are more important than ever, serving as vibrant community hubs and cutting-edge technology centers," said Holmes (D-Aurora). "Grants tailored for libraries are an incredible way to empower and engage all ages, abilities and interests of the communities they serve."

Through the Illinois Secretary of State’s Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grants program, 639 public libraries statewide will receive nearly $18 million in grants. Libraries may use the funds to support resources and services for their communities, including books, e-books, online resources and internet access, personnel, public programming and capital expenditures.

SPRINGFIELD — Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) released the following statement in response to the Senate’s passage of a balanced Fiscal Year 2026 budget that prioritizes fiscal responsibility, boosts education and local resources and makes the full pension obligation payment:

“The administration in Washington has made threats and taken unconstitutional action to throw international, national and state economies and household budgets into disarray. Here in Illinois, we have produced a balanced, responsible budget that will fully fund our pension obligations, maintain funding for local governments, and increase funds for the evidence-based funding model and the Monetary Award Program (MAP) for need-based financial aid to Illinois students.