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Lee County School District may get slice of fed stimulus funds

By Staff | Feb 10, 2009

Although in a dire budgetary year, the Lee County School District may receive federal relief from President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan steering $150 billion in spending to schools across the country.
Members of Congress are hammering out the final details of the American Recovery and Investment Act while the president hosts a number of town hall meetings, including a visit to the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan center today.
Last week Superintendent James Browder joined a conference call with other superintendents statewide to discuss how much of the federal spending will be divvied up among 67 school districts.
Browder was unavailable for comment Monday afternoon.
Dr. Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association, said public education throughout the state could receive approximately $3.5 billion from the stimulus plan, although an amendment over the weekend by the U.S. Senate trimmed $100 billion out of the $820 billion piece of legislation.
“I haven’t seen the last amendment, but prior to the last amendment over the weekend, Florida education would get $3.5 billion,” said Blanton. “It’s going to be a great benefit to many of us who have had budget shortfalls.”
According to Monday’s figures from the FSBA, Title I programs in Florida could receive $610 million, $715 million for activities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, $655 million for school modernization and construction and $47 million for technology in the classroom.
It also would dispense $2.2 billion worth of state physical stabilization and statewide programs worth $1.4 billion to finance bonds for renovations and purchases and to train new teachers.
Most of the funding could assist the school district, but not in the short term, Blanton said. Therefore the Florida Legislature needs to supplement shortfalls until federal funding is available in September.
School districts typically hire new teachers in April or May.
“It has to be processed and get down here. It appears to me we can’t count on those dollars until later this year,” said Blanton.
Lee County School Board Member Robert Chilmonik said he is skeptical on whether the stimulus package will prevent many of the 600 layoffs expected in 2010.
“It will help us with special needs children and our poorest children, but won’t help solve our problem,” he said. “It might minimize a few of the cuts, but they are still coming.”
Most of the federal aid outlined in the bill is categorical funding that only can be spent on special items such as Title I programs or to expand programs for special education students. It cannot be used to supplement shortages in other parts of the budget.

Lee County School District may get slice of fed stimulus funds

By Staff | Feb 10, 2009

Although in a dire budgetary year, the Lee County School District may receive federal relief from President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan steering $150 billion in spending to schools across the country.
Members of Congress are hammering out the final details of the American Recovery and Investment Act while the president hosts a number of town hall meetings, including a visit to the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan center today.
Last week Superintendent James Browder joined a conference call with other superintendents statewide to discuss how much of the federal spending will be divvied up among 67 school districts.
Browder was unavailable for comment Monday afternoon.
Dr. Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association, said public education throughout the state could receive approximately $3.5 billion from the stimulus plan, although an amendment over the weekend by the U.S. Senate trimmed $100 billion out of the $820 billion piece of legislation.
“I haven’t seen the last amendment, but prior to the last amendment over the weekend, Florida education would get $3.5 billion,” said Blanton. “It’s going to be a great benefit to many of us who have had budget shortfalls.”
According to Monday’s figures from the FSBA, Title I programs in Florida could receive $610 million, $715 million for activities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, $655 million for school modernization and construction and $47 million for technology in the classroom.
It also would dispense $2.2 billion worth of state physical stabilization and statewide programs worth $1.4 billion to finance bonds for renovations and purchases and to train new teachers.
Most of the funding could assist the school district, but not in the short term, Blanton said. Therefore the Florida Legislature needs to supplement shortfalls until federal funding is available in September.
School districts typically hire new teachers in April or May.
“It has to be processed and get down here. It appears to me we can’t count on those dollars until later this year,” said Blanton.
Lee County School Board Member Robert Chilmonik said he is skeptical on whether the stimulus package will prevent many of the 600 layoffs expected in 2010.
“It will help us with special needs children and our poorest children, but won’t help solve our problem,” he said. “It might minimize a few of the cuts, but they are still coming.”
Most of the federal aid outlined in the bill is categorical funding that only can be spent on special items such as Title I programs or to expand programs for special education students. It cannot be used to supplement shortages in other parts of the budget.