01.15.09: Federal Stimulus Detail
By David Walrath
The House Democrats are circulating stimulus legislation today. Although the federal stimulus package is very positive in addressing our current and budget year fiscal problems, it has not passed. Consequently, school districts still need to do their second interim report based on the Governor’s proposed cuts. You will still need to inform your community of the cuts that will be necessary if the stimulus package is not passed. Following is an excerpt from the summary:
State Education and Other Budget Priorities: $120 billion to states and school districts to stabilize budgets and prevent tax increases and deep cuts to critical education programs, including:
• $41 billion to local school districts through Title I ($13 billion), IDEA ($13 billion), a new School Modernization and Repair Program ($14 billion), and the Education Technology program ($1 billion).
• $79 billion in state fiscal relief, including: $39 billion to local school districts and public colleges and universities distributed through existing state and federal formulas; $15 billion to states as bonus grants as a reward for meeting key performance measures; and $25 billion to states for other high priority needs such as public safety and other critical services, which may include education.
• Local Government Energy Efficiency Block Grants: $6.9 billion to help state and local governments make investments that make them more energy efficient and reduce carbon emissions.
More detail:
EDUCATION FOR THE 21st
CENTURY
We will put people to work building 21st century classrooms, labs,
and libraries to help our kids compete with any worker in the
world.
21st Century Classrooms
• School Construction: $20 billion, including $14 billion for K-12 and $6 billion for higher education, for renovation and modernization, including technology upgrades and energy efficiency improvements. Also includes $100 million for school construction in communities that lack a local property tax base – NOTE: this should many rural school districts in California and nationally –because they contain non-taxable federal lands such as military bases or Indian reservations, and $25 million to help charter schools build, obtain, and repair schools.
• Education Technology: $1 billion for 21st century classrooms, including computer and science labs and teacher technology training.
K-12 Education: As states begin tackling a projected $350 billion in budget shortfalls these investments will prevent cuts to critical education programs and services.
• IDEA Special Education:
$13 billion for formula grants to increase the federal share of
special education costs and prevent these mandatory costs from
forcing states to cut other areas of education. NOTE: For
California, the IDEA should result in at least $1.4 billion, if
this $700 million for two years, that would equate to approximately
$110 per pupil each year.
• Title I Help for Disadvantaged Kids: $13 billion for grants to help disadvantaged kids in nearly every school district and more than half of all public schools reach high academic standards. NOTE: Once again, on average it would be approximately $110 per pupil per year if done over two years.
• Statewide Data Systems: $250 million for competitive grants to states to design and develop data systems that analyze individual student data to find ways to improve student achievement, providing teachers and administrators with effective tools.
• Education for Homeless Children and Youth: $66 million for formula grants to states to provide services to homeless children including meals and transportation when high unemployment and home foreclosures have created an influx of homeless kids.
• Improving Teacher Quality: $300 million, including $200 million for competitive grants to school districts and states to provide financial incentives for teachers and principals who raise student achievement and close the achievement gaps in high-need schools and $100 million for competitive grants to states to address teacher shortages and modernize the teaching workforce.
Early Childhood Development
• Child Care Development Block Grant: $2 billion to provide child care services for an additional 300,000 children in low-income families while their parents go to work. Today only one out of seven eligible children receives care.
• Head Start: $2.1 billion to provide comprehensive development services to help 110,000 additional children succeed in school. Funds are distributed based on need. Only about half of all eligible preschoolers and less than 3 percent of eligible infants and toddlers participate in Head Start.
• IDEA Infants and Families: $600 million for formula grants to help states serve children with disabilities age 2 and younger.
