So, my tiny school district (1,950 students, $43 million budget) just got word that we will be getting over $580,000 from the Education Jobs Fund (Ed Jobs) program (otherwise known as Public Law No. 111-226), passed just a couple weeks ago.? (See here and here.)
There's a scramble now for a special meeting of the Board to figure out how we're going to spend the dough. I'm not sure it's worth the effort.? This money is more like a time machine: turn the clock back by $580,000.
I had already distributed to my colleagues on the board a ?wish list? for the extra money when it came in.??It included, an academic coaching program using retired teachers, development of a Professional Learning Community program, getting a Curriculum development consultant, signing up for new virtual AP courses.
Alas, reading the ?initial guidance? memo from the Department of Ed (thanks to my Word, I know that the document is 7,794 words long, including the Appendix, which has PL 111-226), I'm not hopeful about any of these suggestions.
The good news is that ?a Governor may not direct how an LEA [school district] may use its Ed Jobs funds.? LEAs have the discretion to decide how to use program funds, consistent with the provisions in section 101(5) of the Act and all other applicable requirements.?
The bad news is that there's no discretion:
C-11.? May a State use Ed Jobs funds to make payments into a ?rainy day fund? or for debt reduction?
No.? A State may not use program funds, directly or indirectly, to establish, restore, or supplement a rainy day fund, or to supplant State funds in a manner that has this effect.? Furthermore, a State may not use program funds, directly or indirectly, to reduce or retire debt obligations incurred by the State or to supplant State funds in a manner that has this effect.
It gets worse:
D-1.? For what purposes may an LEA use its Ed Jobs funds?
An LEA must use its funds only for compensation and benefits and other expenses, such as support services, necessary to retain existing employees, to recall or rehire former employees, and to hire new employees, in order to provide early childhood, elementary, or secondary educational and related services.
Indeed, we can really only use this money ?to pay the salaries of teachers and other employees who provide school-level educational and related services? as well as? ?principals, assistant principals, academic coaches, in-service teacher trainers, classroom aides, counselors, librarians, secretaries, social workers, psychologists, interpreters, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, information technology personnel, nurses, athletic coaches, security officers, custodians, maintenance workers, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers.? ?You can use the money ?to restore reductions in salaries and benefits and to implement salary increases for the 2010-2011 school year.?
Great.? And next year? We turn the clock back again.? But stay tuned,?in New York, we have Race to the Top money soon to be rolling in.
?Peter Meyer
