No Southern Illinois school districts were approved for a federal bond program which could have potentially saved those districts millions of dollars meant to help fund school construction needs.

29 Illinois school districts were approved for nearly $500 million as a part of the Qualified School Construction Bond program.

Sandoval School District #501 in Marion Co. was the southernmost district approved to receive funding.

School officials are saying that higher population districts were chosen despite southern IL school districts having some of the highest poverty and unemployment rates in the state.