Extra Credit

Texas to receive money for education jobs, Doggett amendment repealed

Our political reporters note that last week’s budget deal reached late Friday included a repeal of the so-called Doggett amendment that will mean Texas schools can receive $830 million in aid aimed at helping keep education jobs. It’s unclear yet what this will mean for local school districts. Tarrant County area schools originally were set to receive $42 million to $60 million of those funds with up to $21 million going to the Fort Worth school district, depending on how the formula was calculated.

Tonight, Fort Worth school trustees are set to vote on employee cuts, eliminating 553 positions. Officials say some of those jobs are vacant and some will soon be after employees retire or resign at the end of the year. But the cuts include 167 positions that were funded with two-year stimulus money (which was used for pre-kindergarten and special education teachers and teaching assistants) or other short-term funds that are expiring.

Fort Worth (and many other districts) must notify certain professional staff – including teachers – by the end of this week if their contracts are to end. However, district officials have noted that if funding situation changes, they could recall teachers or staff later.

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Texas has until Sept. 30 to claim money for education jobs, feds say

The Star-Telegram's Washington bureau chief Maria Recio reports that Texas has until Sept. 30 to claim $830 million aimed at saving education jobs. But that money remains in limbo as the state's Republican and Democrats square off over Texas-specific amendments tied to the bill.

When the $10 billion education jobs bill was passed last year, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, added on an amendment that requires Texas to maintain the current level of education funding for three years in order to receive the funds. He has said this was done to ensure the money went to schools as Democrats have maintained that stimulus money aimed at boosting education funding two years ago instead went to balance the state's budget. Gov. Rick Perry has said the amendment would require violating the state's constitution that does not allow a governor to obligate a future Legislature to certain spending levels.

A lawsuit has been filed over the matter. Meanwhile, schools across Texas are bracing for significant cuts as the state wrestles with what some estimate to be up to a $27 billion shortfall for the next two years. Some local districts are considering layoffs and other program cuts.

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Texas schools might have chance for Race to the Top money afterall

Today President Obama announced he wants to expand Race to the Top stimulus money that will allow individual districts to apply directly for the funds rather than going through their state education agencies. This comes a week after Texas Gov. Rick Perry turned down the aid the state would not be seeking the grants as it could lead to a federal takeover of schools as it would force the state to adopt yet-to-be-determined national standards. Local school leaders were split on Perry's decision. The Race to the Top federal funds are aimed at helping to improve education quality. Ed Week reports that Obama wants the grants expanded, in part, so that, “Innovative districts … in Texas whose reform efforts are being stymied by state decision-makers will soon have the chance to earn funding to help them pursue those reforms.”

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Arlington bond campaign gaining steam

Supports ofArlington schools $197.5 million bond issue will begin distributing their brightly colored “Vote For Our Kids” yard signs this weekend (see their logo at the left). But, that’s far from all they’re up to.
The Citizens for Arlington political action committee met Tuesday to talk about fund-raising and other activities. Treasurer Craig Forster reported they had about $11,300 in donations. He said previously that they hope to raise about $50,000 over the next few weeks.
The bond election is Nov. 3, with early voting starting Oct. 19. The $197.5 million package includes money for a new elementary school and two school additions to relieve overcrowding at elementary schools in east central Arlington. It also contains millions for buses, technology and fine arts purchases designed to get the district through 2015.

If the district is able to take advantage of some no-interest bonds authorized as part of the federal stimulus package, the bond would cost the owner of a $100,000 home with a $15,000 homestead exemption an extra $40 annually. For property owners with an over-65 exemption, there would be no increase.

Supporters believe that their biggest opponent at this point is the rough economy and voter apathy.
Citizens for Arlington has also set up a Website. It has a frequently asked questioned section and information about how to donate money that will be used for yard signs, direct mail and other publicity. 

- Traci Shurley

Newspaper says stimulus confusion = windfall for Arizona schools

School officials in Arizona will get twice as much stimulus money as they were expecting, according to this story in the Arizona Daily Star. State officials took $250 million from the state's general fund to make a payment to school districts before June 30, thinking they'd pay the money back when stimulus funds arrived. Now, according to the newspaper, federal officials say that's not okay and the schools get the $250 million coming in stimulus money too.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry submitted his application for $4 billion in federal stimulus education funds about two weeks ago So far, according to the Education Department's online list, it hasn't been approved. Forty-five other applications from states and U.S. territories already have an approval. Texas officials don't expect to start using stimulus money for school funding until September, when the new fiscal year begins.

- Traci Shurley

Newspaper says Perry reports stimulus funding thumbs-up

The Houston Chronicle's politics blog is reporting that Texas Gov. Rick Perry's office said Vice President Joe Biden gave him some reassuring news about his recent application for $4 billion in stimulus funds for education.

Some local educators had expressed concerns about whether everything in the application would be okay with Education Secretary Arne Duncan. If the funds are approved, Texas will start getting the money in September, when fiscal year 2010 starts. 

-Traci Shurley

Texas' application for stimulus funds in

Texas Gov. Rick Perry submitted the state’s application for billions in education funds from the federal stimulus package Wednesday, just before a deadline to do so passed.
If the application is approved, Texas would begin getting the $3.25 billion in Education Stabilization Fund dollars when fiscal year 2010 begins in September.

By Thursday morning, 42 states had already been approved to receive the bulk of their education funds. Another distribution will be later this year.
Some school districts in Texas have worried that Education Secretary Arne Duncan could balk at state legislators’ use of $1.9 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to fuel a funding increase, which also includes a mandatory $800 teacher raise. He has warned at least one other state against using stimulus money as a way to decrease state funding.
In Texas, school funding is through a combination of state money and local property tax revenue. In his application, Perry said that the state portion of funding would have dropped in the coming fiscal years because of increases in local property tax revenues. So, the $1.9 billion in stimulus money is restoring funds, not supplanting them, the application said.
The remainder of the $3.25 billion is being used to replace money lost because of declines in the state's Permanent School Fund, the application said.
“State leaders are confident that the allocation of SFSF (State Fiscal Stabilization Funds) are consistent with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” Perry’s letter to the education department said.

- Traci Shurley

State plan for education stimulus money comes due

Today's the day for Gov. Rick Perry to submit the state's initial application for education funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Thirty-seven states have already had their applications approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

Some districts have been hesitant to approve budgets and teacher salaries until they find out what the Education Department will say about Texas' plan.

About $2.3 billion in stimulus funds is expected to be distributed directly to school districts through formula funding for programs like special education and Title I, which helps schools with large percentages of low income students. The application from Perry relates to the $3.9 billion the state expects to get in State Fiscal Stabilization Fund dollars.

Texas and the other stragglers have until 4:30 p.m. eastern time (3:30 here) to get their paperwork in.

- Traci Shurley