NORMAL - Unit 5 will receive more than $331,000 to help one of the fastest-growing school districts in the state. The money is part of $7.5 million that will be distributed by the Illinois State Board of Education among 36 of the state's districts.

Fast-growing districts face challenges that include lack of classroom space, faculty, or teaching materials. The grants are to be used to pay for salaries, books, computers, supplies and classroom materials.

That's what Unit 5 has in mind. "We'll use it for additional staff, supplies and equipment," Unit 5 Superintendent Gary Niehaus.

School districts are eligible for grants based on growth during the two most recent school years. Districts with enrollments below 10,000 must have grown by at least 7.5 percent. Bigger districts must have grown by more than 1.5 percent.

The Normal-based district's enrollment has grown by about 3 percent annually for several years to top more than 12,700 students.

The money has been approved but isn't through the state comptroller's office, said ISBE spokeswoman Mary Fergus. "Realistically, it may be January" when the district gets the money, she said.

"When the check is in our hands, we'll spend it appropriately," Niehaus said.

Across Illinois, public school enrollment has increased steadily to just shy of 2.1 million students this year. In the last decade, student enrollment increased by 122,169 students, or 6.2 percent, according to state data.

During the same time, the number of school districts has dropped from 900 to 868.