7.12.10 - Federal authorities are encouraging school districts to spend education stimulus money to save jobs and blunt the effects of statewide budget cuts but districts have been slow to draw their share of the funds.
Federal authorities are encouraging school districts to spend education stimulus money to save jobs and blunt the effects of statewide budget cuts but districts have been slow to draw their share of the funds.
We really hope that youll do your best to see how these funds can help alleviate the layoffs and budget crises that your districts or states are facing Maura Policelli a senior adviser with the U.S. Department of Education said in an online seminar or webinar last month.
That does require some courage and it does involve the possible risk of investing in staff that you may not be able to retain in the 2011-12 school year she said.
Districts across the nation have been slow to tap stimulus money that is targeted for specific programs particularly the money intended to bolster programs for students with disabilities or those who come from low-income households.
At the halfway point before the Sept. 30 2011 deadline for the money to be distributed Colorado districts have used 25 percent of the $110 million available in Title 1 funds for low-income students and 28 percent of the $149 million in Individuals With Disabilities Education Act money for special education.
The same thing is happening nationwide. On average 39 percent of the $11.3 billion in special-education money for states has been claimed.
Midpoint for spending
We would have expected to see a higher rate of obligation at this midpoint said Candace Cortiella director of the Advocacy Institute and who created a website called IDEA Money Watch (ideamoneywatch.com) to track the spending.
We do this report at the end of every month and I have been surprised how little it changes Cortiella said.
Federal state and local officials say there is nothing to worry about. The money will be spent. The slow drawdown is a matter of process. And stimulus funds are saving or creating tens of thousands of jobs.
This past quarter the stimulus funding for special education and Title 1 saved or created more than 100000 jobs Cathy Solomon adviser for Recovery Act Implementation for the Education Department said in a webinar discussion last month.
The special-education stimulus money was responsible for 9 percent of all federal jobs in the last quarter Solomon said.
These programs have had a huge impact on the entire recovery effort in addition to keeping public education intact she said.
In Colorado stimulus money has created or saved on average 5119 education jobs every quarter including math and literacy coaches paraprofessionals and full- and part-time teachers.
Still districts across the nation are trying to get an understanding of the spending guidelines and are figuring out ways to allocate the one-time funds without affecting budgets over the long term.
Because the money runs out Sept. 30 2011 districts are being careful to spend the money on programs that wont need funding after 2011.
There are also restrictions on how the money can be spent.
One metro-Denver district wanted to spend its special-education stimulus money for full-day kindergarten programs. But that did not fit requirements under the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the district was denied.
Where the money goes
Districts are spending the money on salaries teacher training and contracting for services as well as buying materials and even paying for construction. Denver Public Schools has been allocated $16 million in IDEA stimulus money but had used $4.7 million as of June 1 or 29 percent.
We anticipate spending all of the money that is due to us said John Simmons Denvers executive director of student services.
Structures are very strict in terms of how you spend that money. We will be slightly behind spending half of our funds this year Simmons said.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_15493941
7.12.10 - Federal authorities are encouraging school districts to spend education stimulus money to save jobs and blunt the effects of statewide budget cuts but districts have been slow to draw their share of the funds.
Federal authorities are encouraging school districts to spend education stimulus money to save jobs and blunt the effects of statewide budget cuts but districts have been slow to draw their share of the funds.
We really hope that youll do your best to see how these funds can help alleviate the layoffs and budget crises that your districts or states are facing Maura Policelli a senior adviser with the U.S. Department of Education said in an online seminar or webinar last month.
That does require some courage and it does involve the possible risk of investing in staff that you may not be able to retain in the 2011-12 school year she said.
Districts across the nation have been slow to tap stimulus money that is targeted for specific programs particularly the money intended to bolster programs for students with disabilities or those who come from low-income households.
At the halfway point before the Sept. 30 2011 deadline for the money to be distributed Colorado districts have used 25 percent of the $110 million available in Title 1 funds for low-income students and 28 percent of the $149 million in Individuals With Disabilities Education Act money for special education.
The same thing is happening nationwide. On average 39 percent of the $11.3 billion in special-education money for states has been claimed.
Midpoint for spending
We would have expected to see a higher rate of obligation at this midpoint said Candace Cortiella director of the Advocacy Institute and who created a website called IDEA Money Watch (ideamoneywatch.com) to track the spending.
We do this report at the end of every month and I have been surprised how little it changes Cortiella said.
Federal state and local officials say there is nothing to worry about. The money will be spent. The slow drawdown is a matter of process. And stimulus funds are saving or creating tens of thousands of jobs.
This past quarter the stimulus funding for special education and Title 1 saved or created more than 100000 jobs Cathy Solomon adviser for Recovery Act Implementation for the Education Department said in a webinar discussion last month.
The special-education stimulus money was responsible for 9 percent of all federal jobs in the last quarter Solomon said.
These programs have had a huge impact on the entire recovery effort in addition to keeping public education intact she said.
In Colorado stimulus money has created or saved on average 5119 education jobs every quarter including math and literacy coaches paraprofessionals and full- and part-time teachers.
Still districts across the nation are trying to get an understanding of the spending guidelines and are figuring out ways to allocate the one-time funds without affecting budgets over the long term.
Because the money runs out Sept. 30 2011 districts are being careful to spend the money on programs that wont need funding after 2011.
There are also restrictions on how the money can be spent.
One metro-Denver district wanted to spend its special-education stimulus money for full-day kindergarten programs. But that did not fit requirements under the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the district was denied.
Where the money goes
Districts are spending the money on salaries teacher training and contracting for services as well as buying materials and even paying for construction. Denver Public Schools has been allocated $16 million in IDEA stimulus money but had used $4.7 million as of June 1 or 29 percent.
We anticipate spending all of the money that is due to us said John Simmons Denvers executive director of student services.
Structures are very strict in terms of how you spend that money. We will be slightly behind spending half of our funds this year Simmons said.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_15493941
