“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
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http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/03/03072009.html
Ed stimulus press release -
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/stabilization-fund.html
SFSF Information -
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/title-i.html
Title 1 Recovery Fact Sheet -
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/idea.html
Idea Recovery Fact Sheet
