The United States Department of Education is speeding up stimulus package spending for education. The department this week announced that it's releasing $11.37 billion to states about a month earlier than planned, with funds targeting Title I, IDEA, and Vocational Rehabilitation.
Arne Duncan says the stimulus money earmarked for education technology provides local school districts with the resources for reform. It's on them to carry it through.
President Barack Obama is calling on states and districts to set higher standards for student achievement. In a speech delivered at the United States Department of Education headquarters in Washington, DC Friday, Obama highlighted some of the top reforms he thinks will help accomplish this and also announced $4.35 billion in competitive grants designed to help support innovative reform efforts.
Three Things You Need to Know About ARRA Monies</strong>
An unprecedented $919 million dollars in federal funds for technology are being disbursed to states this summer. This substantial amount is made up of $269 million for the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) component of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act and $650 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Following the release of $270 million in EETT funds to states July 1, another $650 million from the EETT component of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is anticipated to be released to the states by July 15. Guidelines for their use will be released at the same time, according to the United States Department of Education.
In a broad-based interview with THE Journal at the United States Department of Education offices June 12, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan stressed the importance of thinking differently about how we invest resources in education. "What [superintendents] do with the new money misses the point. What we really want to do is have folks rethink existing resources as well. And what I would argue in lots of places is that existing resources are not being spent as wisely as they could," he told THE Journal.
United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan this week warned states that they'd better be open to charter schools if they want to get a piece of the $4.35 billion Race to the Top Fund. And, what's more, those states that do allow charter but put caps on their growth will need to remove those caps.
Comprehensive technology integration programs go beyond laptop initiatives to provide teachers with the support they need to improve student engagement and achievement.
A GREAT SIGH OF DISAPPOINTMENT escaped from technology advocates on the day the Obama administration’s proposed budget for 2010-2011 was announced. It showed a two-thirds cut in funds for the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program—down to $100 million.
The United States Department of Education this week urged states to "act now" to get their applications in for stimulus package funding. Education Secretary Duncan said that states should act as quickly as possible on State Fiscal Stabilization Funds to help move reforms forward and to protect teaching jobs that are at risk.