Reading, writing, arithmetic and special needs getting help By Sandy Garrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Friday, April 24, 2009 In February, the president and Congress approved the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help kick-start the nation's economy. The landmark measure includes unprecedented investments in education, transportation, healthcare, science and technology, and energy efficiency. Like most Oklahomans, I am concerned about our nation’s economy and about the debt that could be passed on to our children’s children. Yet, I have no doubt about the positive impact of investing in Oklahoma's boys and girls and their future. This week we were able to begin making available to school districts the first-round of federal stimulus dollars for reading and math instruction, called “Title I, Part A,” and for special education, “IDEA, Part B.” Funds can be used by schools for tutoring, teacher training, extended school days, for example, or other needs determined locally. They could support summer school or even after-school help in reading and math. For special education, they might bring advanced technology into classrooms or equip buses to help improve transportation of students with disabilities. Under federal guidelines, in order to receive the funding, school officials must first sign accountability assurances that the money will be spent on their Title I and special education activities, which have already been approved. In addition, all stimulus spending will be audited and must be reported to the State Department of Education monthly by school site. School officials learned of the funding this winter and I have been updating them on the status. In March, superintendents met with me and our federal program leaders to discuss the law's requirements. We stress that these are one-time funds from the federal government and not a permanent source of funding. Schools must use the funds carefully. State Department of Education staff members are available to assist districts in this process and answer any questions that might arise over the next few months. Title I funding for schools is determined through a formula based on the percentage of students in each school who live in poverty. Special education funding is calculated based on the number of special education students and types of disabilities served in each school. The amount of Title I funding available to Oklahoma school districts in this first round of economic stimulus funding is $54,721,251; the amount available for special education now is $73,962,453. Under the federal stimulus Act, schools will be eligible to receive the second round of funds this fall after approval of their next fiscal year’s Title I and special education applications. We have not yet been told by the federal government, however, what the new guidelines will be. School districts have until September 30, 2011, to spend or obligate stimulus funds, but federal officials have been clear in their intentions that school officials should: 1. Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs. 2. Improve student achievement through school improvement and reform. 3. Ensure transparency and accountability. 4. Invest one-time funds thoughtfully to minimize funding cliff. I am working closely with other state agency leaders who are members of Governor Henry’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Coordinating Council. Once we start receiving reports from the schools, we will post information on the State Department of Education Web site. We will have a section online dedicated solely to reporting to the public how these funds are being used in schools. Our reports to the federal government are required quarterly. I am optimistic that this once-in-a-lifetime investment in Oklahoma schools will reap long-term dividends. I will update you in future messages in this space about these funds and additional economic stimulus opportunities that will come to Oklahoma schools. Read to a child – the benefits last a lifetime! EDITORS: For more information, contact Shelly Hickman, State Department of Education, (405) 521-3371.