Textbook Costs Rising

By Sean Stillmaker in News on Aug 7, 2010 4:30PM

Paying for school textbooks is already a burden on students, but it’s about to become even heavier this year. The Illinois General Assembly for the fiscal year 2011 eliminated the $40 million in state funding for K-12 textbooks. School districts statewide are now raising their textbook fees leaving students with no other options. Catholic private schools are the hardest hit, the Tribune reports.

Across the country approximately 15 percent of school districts make families pay for textbooks, with Illinois districts collectively charging the most. There have been many requests sent to Gov. Quinn’s office to restore education funding, but with the budget shortfall and looming deficits, the state has had to make hard choices. Lane Tech Principal Antoinette LoBosco was quoted as saying that she was able to make ends meet for this year, but things look dire down the road:

"In a few years, we will not be getting enough to cover (book) replacement costs, because we don't get the state allotment any more," she said.

A spokesperson for Quinn's budget office told the Trib that "many requests have been made to restore education funding but not all can be accommodated in the current economic crisis," and that Quinn "remains committed" to getting school funding back in line.