On February 17th, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Over $100 billion was appropriated for Education programs, including $53.6 billion for a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, a new program with the primary purpose of helping states restore budget cuts due to our nation’s recession. The Stabilization Fund is the most immediate and substantial funding to impact all public schools, including public charter schools.
Funding Allocations: For an Initial analysis that outlines what states can expect to receive from the ARRP’s formula driven education funding Click Here.
For a details on the initial release of funds Click Here
Over the last year, leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties have loudly embraced public charter schools. President Obama has been a long time supporter of public charter schools, since he was a state senator; but when the President addressed the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Legislative Conference on March 10th, 2009, we saw his most powerful endorsement of charter schools yet. His call for not only supporting public charter schools but taking action to prevent punitive policies that currently limit their growth was a clarion call recognizing the federal government must do more to expand high quality public school options for parents and children around the country.
Right now, the federal government has an unprecedented opportunity to embrace the President’s call by ensuring the ARRA's funds go to support truly meaningful education reforms like public charter schools.
TAKE ACTION!!
With the unprecedented new funding flowing to the Department of Education through the ARRA, it is important that charter schools can fairly benefit from the new funding.
Urge your legislators to commit federal stimulus funds for your state's public charter schools.
Here is a brief breakdown of funding by program:
Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies: $10,000,000,000
Targeted Grants: $5,000,000,000
Incentive Grants: $5,000,000,000
School Improvement Grants: $3,000,000,000
Impact Aid Construction: $100,000,000
Teacher Incentive Fund: $200,000,000
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund: $53,600,000,000
State Grants: $48,600,000,000
Incentive Grants: $4,350,000,000
Innovation Funds: $650,000,000
IDEA Part B Grants to States: $11,300,000,000
IDEA Part C Grants for Infants and Families: $500,000,000