New report guides states, schools on how best to use the money to spur achievement
Primary Topic Channel: Fed
 |
|
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has issued new guidance to help states and school systems use ed-tech stimulus funding to drive lasting education reforms and improve student achievement.
The guidance is critical, largely because, as the report states, the funding "will likely not be available at the same level beyond September 30, 2011." Therefore, states must be prudent and efficient, making sure to "focus these funds on short-terms investment with the potential for long-term benefits, rather than make ongoing commitments that they might not be able to sustain once [stimulus] funds are expended."
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides a total of $650 million in additional funding for the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program for fiscal years 2009 and 2010. These ed-tech stimulus dollars are a one-time source of funds that supplement the approximately $265 million in EETT funding made available under regular FY2009 appropriations.
In its report, ED describes the four principles that should guide the distribution and use of stimulus funds, including those distributed through EETT:
1. Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs;
2. Improve student achievement through school improvement and reform;
3. Ensure transparency, reporting, and accountability; and
4. Invest one-time ARRA funds thoughtfully to minimize the "funding cliff."
State rules and professional development
Funding will be distributed to states by formula, and states don't have to submit a revised ed-tech plan to qualify. The report says states may use up to 5 percent of their total EETT stimulus allotment for state-level activities. Any funds that are not reserved for state-level activities must be awarded as subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs).
States may spend no more than 60 percent of the funding they set aside for state-level activities on administrative costs. The remaining funds must be used to carry out activities the meet the purposes of EETT, such as supporting innovative strategies, supporting high-quality professional and curriculum development, and developing performance-measurement systems to evaluate the effectiveness of local programs supported with EETT funds.