There's a lot to be said about the $10 billion federal jobs bill (?Edujobs?) which will purportedly save 160,000 teachers' jobs nationally, 5,500 of which were/are/could be? at stake in the Buckeye State. You can choose what part of Edujobs makes you most concerned:
a)????? It kicks the can down the road instead of forcing schools/districts to make tough cuts
b)????? The money comes from cuts to food stamps
c)?????? It can actually be used to restore pay raises and give bonuses, not just save jobs
d)????? Are there even that many jobs at stake, or are we being deceived?
This week, Ohio indicated that it'd be allocating funds via the state's primary funding formula rather than through the Title 1 formula (states have a choice to select either) so that funds could cover ?a larger percentage of LEAs?? ? a move that didn't surprise us but still means that:
e)????? This $361 million further cements Ohio's status quo (the regular funding formula?including Ohio's evidence-based model) rather than targeting it to the poorest districts.
Granted, I'm happy that Ohio districts ? especially its urban ones ? will be getting funds during a time of fiscal distress. Dayton City Schools will be getting $4.4 million, Columbus $7.9 million, Cincinnati $4.6 million, Toledo $7.6 million, Canton $3.5 million, Akron $6.7 million, Youngstown $2.9 million, and Cleveland $17.6 million. That's a lot of money and I hope it can be used as intended ? to save the teachers' jobs that are at risk (though I still?am?WAY skeptical of the estimated 5,500 number.)?(You can find estimated allocations for other Ohio districts here.)
But wait ? the guidance from USDOE has some new information that might take the cake. Districts are allowed to not just use the money to save teachers' jobs.
f)?????? It can also go toward: ?tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment assistance, transportation subsidies, and reimbursement for childcare expenses.?
And this is available to just about anybody who works within 100 yards of a school building (librarians, aides, counselors, interpreters, security officers, maintenance staff, bus drivers, and nurses, as well as actual teaching staff).
So let me get this straight: we're not only cutting food stamps for poor (hungry) families, prolonging states' move to right-size themselves and making the future funding forecast even worse, and giving teachers raises so that they make virtually no concessions at all despite the worst recession in my lifetime ? but also allowing Ms. Jones to pay for her master's degree, the librarian to pay for her kid's child care, and the principal to get reimbursements for his parking pass?
- Jamie Davies O'Leary
