Mt. Vernon Register-News

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September 4, 2010

State schools to get $415M

Local officials concerned over possible strings attached

By RORYE O’CONNOR rorye.oconnor@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Illinois schools are set to receive about $415 million to support education jobs.

Local school districts are still unsure how they can spend the funds and whether they will receive similar funds in future years, however.

“It’s dangling out there, but we don’t know what the strings are yet,” said Mt. Vernon City Schools District 80 Superintendent Kevin Settle. “I couldn’t tell you how we’re gonna use that.”

The United State Department of Education Jobs Fund, recently passed by Congress and signed by the President, is a $10 billion fund to support education jobs in the 2010-11 school year and be distributed to states by a formula based on population figures, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Mt. Vernon Township High School District 201 Superintendent Dr. Michael Smith said the Illinois State Board of Education is offering a webinar for schools on Sept. 9 to learn how the funds may be used.

He said he was unsure how the district may use the more than $411,000 coming to it, though any decisions would take board action.

“We may spend some or all of it this year, or wait and see what happens this spring,” Smith said. “At the very least, I would expect it could be used to minimize any additional layoffs for the following fiscal year.”

Smith said if the education funding through ARRA is like the other stimulus funding that has already been handed out, it will come with plenty of strings attached, from restrictions on what the funds may be spent on as well as stringent reporting rules.

District 80 rehired a number of early education teachers who were reduced in force in March, because “it’s good for the kids,” Settle said.

“I hope we can use (the jobs funds) on the salaries of those we brought back,” Settle said.

According to information from the ISBE website, Waltonville Community Unit District is expected to receive $133,065; Rome Grade School, $113,060; Field Grade School, $108,126; Woodlawn Grade School, $104,228; Opdyke-Belle Rive Grade School, $76,086; Grand Prairie Grade School, $35,489; Dodds Grade School, $63,344; Ina Grade School, $50,562; McClellan Grade School, $17,496; Summersville Grade School, $97,825; Mt. Vernon City Schools, $558,578; Bethel Grade School, $37,068; Farrington Grade School, $26,745; Bluford Grade, $121,318; MVTHS, $411,327; Webber Township High School, $71,403; and Woodlawn Community High School is expected to receive $83,591.

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