Dear Delegates,
You did it! Just moments ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed $10 billion in education jobs funding that the U.S. Department of Education estimates will save 161,000 jobs in public schools across the country.
This funding, which was approved by the Senate last week, will be signed into law by Pres. Obama, and will help many schools throughout the country decrease class sizes and restore critical programs our students need to be successful.
This is a tremendous victory for America's public schools, and for NEA and its affiliates. During the course of our campaign, NEA and its affiliates generated:
- 102,000 calls to Congress;
- 42,000 postcards;
- and 301,000 e-mails.
In the coming days, we will be providing more information to affiliates on how the federal government will make these funds available to states. For now, I want to personally thank each one of you for all that you and your fellow members have done to advance this critical funding. We have shown, once again, that when we work together, great things are possible.
Sincerely,
Dennis Van Roekel
President, National Education Association
Congress Passes Bill to Provide $10 Billion to Support 160,000 Education Jobs Nationwide President Signs Bill Into Law
August 10, 2010
Today, by vote of 247-161, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to provide $10 billion to support an estimated 160,000 education jobs nationwide and another $16 billion to help states fund Medicaid budgets. The U.S. Senate passed the bill last Thursday by a vote of 61-39. This evening, the President signed the bill into law.
"With the support of the jobs bill, these educators will be helping our children learn instead of looking for work," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "This is the right thing to do for our children, for our teachers, and for our economy."
Over the last two years, the Education Department has been able to support 300,000 education jobs through stimulus funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At this time, seven states have drawn down 100 percent of previously allocated jobs funding, while 18 states total have drawn down 80 percent or more. A July report from the independent Center on Education Policy found that 75 percent of school districts that received stimulus funds expect to cut teaching positions in the upcoming school year.
The $10 billion fund will support education jobs in the 2010-11 school year and be distributed to states by a formula based on population figures. States can distribute their funding to school districts based on their own primary funding formula or districts' relative share of federal Title I funds.
In order to ensure that states receive funding as quickly as possible, the Department will streamline the application process so that states can submit applications within days. The Department will award funding to states within two weeks of their submission of an approvable application.
See projected allocations and estimated jobs saved for each state. [PDF, 205K]
Final Vote Count on Roll Call 518--The Jobs Bill
