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.
Connecticut to Disperse Nearly $542 Million to Districts
After a 60-day review of the Stimulus lobbying policy, the White House announced last week that the ban on oral communication between federal officials and registered lobbyists applies to anyone hoping to influence a competitive grant for Stimulus money after a grant application has been submitted.
On June 8th, Secretary Duncan held a telephone press briefing to discuss how the quality of states’ public charter schools will support the ability to compete for grants from the Race to the Top fund, the $4.35 billion ARRA program designed to help states make substantial gains in student achievement. President Obama and Duncan believe public charter schools are one key strategy to drive innovation, competition, and improvement in the education system, and they are calling on states to lift charter caps while holding the schools accountable for performance.
On June 7th, Governor Jodi Rell announced that Connecticut has been approved to receive nearly $542 million in federal Stimulus funds that will be disbursed as state aid to local school districts to support education. These funds will help the state maintain current funding levels to all 169 municipalities through its Education Cost Sharing Formula Program (ECS). Approximately $2.8 million of Stimulus allotment will finance a teacher-mentoring program, a requirement under ARRA. Read the article from the Governor’s office here.
On June 8th, ARRA provided New Hampshire a one-time appropriation for equipment assistance to school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP). View the list of schools’ item requests with accompanying funding recommendations.
On June 3rd, Johanna Duncan-Poitier, New York State Education Department, announced (memo in PDF) that the U.S. Department of Education is accepting applications for new federal “Teacher Quality Partnership Grants Program Awards.” The DOE published a notice of the availability of $143 million to support new awards under the Teacher Quality Partnership Grants Program. Applications are due by July 23, 2009. Eligible partnerships are partnerships of a school of arts and sciences at a higher education institution, a high-need local education agency (LEA), and either (1) a “high-need school” or a “high-need early childhood education program” or (2) a school, department, or program of education within a four-year institution.
On June 4th, Vermont posted information about the IDEA-B funding portion of ARRA to its Recovery site. During the recent Vermont Superintendents Association/Vermont Council for Special Education Administrators spring conference, questions came up during the Council of Exceptional Children presentation on ARRA around electing to use the option to reduce maintenance of effort in expending IDEA-B funds. The VTDOE ARRA Coordinator and Finance Office offered this clarification to assist in planning and decision-making: “1. If you spend the same amount or more out of State and Local funds in FY2010 as in FY2009, you have met MOE requirements and this does not apply. 2. If you spend less in State and Local funds in FY2010 than in FY2009 then your SU must: (a) Document allowable exceptions to non-supplanting rules as outlined in the flow chart, and/or (b) If and only if your SU is also designated as having ‘met requirements’ as defined by the most recent State to Local determinations as required by IDEA you may elect to pursue an MOE adjustment as defined in the flow chart.” Consult the flow chart here (PDF). Vermont also posted forms and information needed to apply for FY-2010 IDEA-B Basic and Pre-School Flow Through grants. This includes both the regular grant funds and the funds made available for IDEA-B under ARRA. See IDEA-B Subgrant Agreement here (PDF).
On June 8th, Vermont added Title IID ARRA/Federal Grant Applications. These grants are available to a range of entities from classroom teachers to groups working with statewide audiences. The focus of this grant is to select a regionally based entity to organize, manage, and lead an initiative to support Vermont schools that are considering or implementing models of technology use that include 1:1 computing, laptop carts, or student-owned technology. This grant supports the work of the Vermont Department of Education in the realization of student-centered learning with technology. This grant also addresses concepts in flexible learning environments by supporting schools that are placing technology in the hands of students and allowing them to access the web for learning beyond the school day. One grant award of up to $200,000 will be released to an entity that can detail their capacity to provide a robust professional development experience that impacts teaching practice in technology-rich learning environments. The due date for this grant application is July 15th at 4:00pm. For more information on the Title IID grant please download and read the PDF or Word document.
For more information, visit these Recovery.gov websites across the Northeast and 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
