CONGRESSMAN COSTA ANNOUNCES U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GRANT FUNDS

FRESNO, CA -Congressman Jim Costa (CA-20) announced today that theLamont Elementary School District will receive over $300,000 in funds from theUnited States Department of Education (DOE) Literacy and School LibrariesProgram. The funds will be used to better equip and enhance the Lamont SchoolLibrary.

"The educational needs oflow-income and rural areas such as Lamont continue to grow. These funds will enable the Lamont ElementarySchool District to realize their goal of providing the best possibleeducational resources for their students" Congressman Costa explained.

The DOE Literacy and SchoolLibraries Program grant is provided to various school libraries in order toimprove students' reading and academic achievement. The goal of the LamontSchool Library is to increase students' and teachers' access to adequate andup-to-date school library resources and materials, as well as providesufficient professional and technical training to school library and mediaspecialists.

"The improvements that we willsoon see at the Lamont School Library will enhance the information literacy andthinking skills of students. It will also advance the Lamont Elementary SchoolDistrict as it will provide students, teachers and parents an access to thelibrary system outside of school. As our students progress academically, thegrowth of the community will undeniably follow," Costa concluded.

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