in the U.S. Senate
in the U.S. House
|
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)
The ARRA was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. It provides more than $100 billion in education funding, college grants and tuition tax credits, as well as billions more for school modernization. Most of this historic investment flows directly to states via the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) and established formula programs. This new federal funding directed to the states for education programs and reform efforts comes at a time marked by unprecedented cuts to education at the state and local levels.
The U.S. Department of Education is focusing on “four assurances” to which states must commit in their applications for SFSF or any stimulus funds:
- Adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace
- Recruiting, developing, retaining, and rewarding effective teachers and principals
- Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practices and
- Turning around the country’s lowest-performing schools.
For more information visit the Department's ARRA page.
Race to the Top Fund A portion of the ARRA funds supports a number of competitive grant programs, including a $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” Fund, which will be awarded competitively to states. It will reward states for past accomplishments and create incentives for future improvements. The funding criteria the Department proposed will challenge states to create comprehensive strategies for addressing the four assurances, detailed above. Two application phases will be conducted in late 2009 and spring 2010. All funds will be obligated by September 2010. Proposed federal regulations were filed on July 29 and the public had 30 days to provide written comments. Final regulations will be published soon after the deadline.
Investing in Innovation Fund There is also a $650 million “Investing in Innovation” fund that is a competitive grant program for which local education agencies (LEAs) and nonprofits can apply. States are not eligible to apply for these funds. The purpose of this program is to support efforts to bring to scale educational practices with significant evidence of success in improving student achievement and support the development, implementation, replication, and further evaluation of promising innovative practices. The Department expects to publish proposed regulations for these funds in the next month or two. Similar to the Race to the Top Fund, applications will be accepted in two rounds, with all funds obligated by September 2010.
Appropriations
The House of Representatives passed the FY2010 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act on July 24. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the bill, which will go before the full Senate in September and on to a House-Senate Conference Committee for final negotiations.
Stay tuned for more-detailed information later this month on FY2010 appropriations and a proposed comprehensive literacy bill.
|
