Every Thursday, REL-NEI highlights state-based resources, press releases, and news around the Northeast and Islands Region related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). For a listing of REL Issues & Answers Reports categorized under ARRA topics and domains, click here.
ARRA Funds for Schools Construction, Homeless Students
On April 13th, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that $108.8 million in funding for targeted students and communities is now available to states under ARRA. The release of funds will be split between Impact Aid Construction grants ($39.6 million)—distributed by formula, to help repair and modernize schools and alleviate overcrowding—and Homeless Children and Youth grants ($69.2 million), which may be distributed to districts via formula or competitive process.
On April 10th, Johanna Duncan-Poitier, New York State’s Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education, announced that State Aid to School Districts and State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF) for eligible districts had been posted on the Internet: http://stateaid.nysed.gov/
On April 9th, Governor Deval Patrick announced that Massachusetts would receive an additional $163 million in Title I funds from the ARRA. The grant will supplement the $233,353,571 that Massachusetts currently receives annually. The Governor said the funds will help districts “retain specialist teachers that help struggling readers, purchase books, technology, help teachers obtain training to better educate ELLs, and others with special learning needs and other instructional materials.”
On April 7th, Vermont and New Hampshire held informational meetings on ARRA. New Hampshire simulcast its event to more than 800 municipal officials, educators and representatives for businesses and nonprofits registered for the workshop. Governor Lynch’s primary aim was to ensure “federal stimulus funds are being used for their stated purpose - putting people back to work, helping families, protecting essential services and building the foundation for a stronger economy in the future.” (See related PDF.)
For more information, visit these Recovery.gov websites across the Northeast & Islands Region:
Connecticut
http://www.recovery.ct.gov/recovery/site/default.asp
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2703&Q=322296
Maine
http://www.maine.gov/recovery/
http://www.maine.gov/education/recovery/index.html
Massachusetts
www.mass.gov/recovery
http://www.doe.mass.edu/arra/
New Hampshire
http://www.nh.gov/recovery/
http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/recovery/index.htm
New York
http://uspeny.nysed.gov/arra/
Rhode Island
http://www.recovery.ri.gov/
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Finance/Funding/ARRA/
Vermont
http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/dept/recovery_act.html
Puerto Rico
http://www.buengobiernopr.com/arra/index.html
U.S. Virgin Islands
http://www.governordejongh.com/recovery/index.html
US Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html
Knowledge Alliance
http://www.knowledgeall.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87&Itemid=34
Council of State Governments: StateRecovery.org
http://www.staterecovery.org/education
