American Recovery &
Reinvestment Act

“What does this mean to my district and schools?”

The overall goals of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act offers an unprecedented $100 billion in funding designed “to stimulate the economy in the short term and invest in education and other essential public services to ensure the long-term economic health of our nation.”


Of this amount, $53.6 billion is allocated towards budget shortfalls through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.  The SFSF funding is designed to assist with budget shortfalls.


The two other large pockets of funding include $10 billion for Title 1, part A and $11.7 billion for IDEA, part B. These top three stimulus items are areas in which the Education Department has outlined guidance principals and are funding sources most applicable to purchasing supplemental materials such as The Ascend Math Solution.



50 percent of each state’s Title I stimulus funds - totaling $10 billion - would be awarded at the end of March, with the remainder distributed after each state’s amended Consolidated Application, describing how it will meet the record keeping and reporting requirements, are approved - most likely in the June-July timeframe.



In a March 7th press release, the US Department of Education guidance addressed the allowable uses of recovery funds, providing some specific examples that would align with the overall “principles” of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act including:


  • “Providing new opportunities for Title I school wide programs for secondary school students to use high-quality, online courseware as supplemental learning materials for meeting mathematics and science requirements.”
  • The use of longitudinal data systems “to drive continuous improvement efforts focused on improving achievement in Title I schools,” which is a current “assurance” that schools that are in restructuring and corrective action must provide in order to receive School Improvement Grants.
  • Providing professional development on the use of data to inform and improve instruction for Title I eligible students and the use of reading or math coaches for professional development in Title I targeted assistance schools.
  • Expanding “fiscally sustainable extended learning opportunities” in targeted assistance schools, including before-school, after-school, during the summer, or extended school year.



To summarize in the areas of Title 1, Special Ed and Education Technology State Grants, The Department of Education has set priorities for districts to focus on

  • Capacity to collect and use data to improve teaching and learning
  • Offering Extended learning programs
  • Establish new school wide programs for secondary students with online courseware as supplemental learning in science and math
  • Providing professional development on the use of data to inform and improve instruction
  • Ensure accurate and rigorous reporting of student progress

For more information on how The Ascend Math Solution can help you meet your stimulus funding requirements, please contact your local representative or click here.


Helpful Links


February 23, 2009

Department of Education

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
($ in 000s)
  Enacted
Program   ARRA
Title I Grants to local educational agencies 10,000,000
      Targeted grants 5,000,000
      Incentive grants 5,000,000
School improvement grants 3,000,000
Impact aid construction 100,000
Educational technology State grants 650,000
Education for homeless children and youths 70,000
Teacher incentive fund 200,000
Credit enhancement for charter school facilities 0
State fiscal stabilization fund 53,600,000
      State grants 48,600,000
1
      Incentive and innovation grants 5,000,000
2
School modernization, renovation, and repair 0
IDEA Part B grants to States 11,300,000
IDEA Part B preschool grants 400,000
IDEA Part C grants for infants and families 500,000
Vocational rehabilitation State grants 540,000
Independent living 140,000
Federal Pell grants 15,640,000
3
Mandatory Pell 1,474,000
4
Federal work-study 200,000
Federal Perkins loans 0
Teacher quality enhancement 100,000
Higher education modernization, renovation, and repair   0
Statewide data systems 250,000
Student Aid Administration 60,000
Office of the Inspector General 14,000
5
Total 98,238,000  
1 Funds may be used for preventing cutbacks, preventing layoffs, school modernization, or other purposes.
2 The Innovation Fund is $650,000 thousand.
3 The discretionary level covers prior year shortfalls, provides additional amounts for 2010 Pell awards, and a $500 increase in the maximum grant to $5,350 in 2009.
4 Provides resources to fully fund the $490 mandatory add-on to the Pell maximum grant in AY 2009-10 and $690 in AY 2010-11.
5 The bills provide $14,000 thousand over 4 years.