Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) announced today that six MetroWest towns in her district will receive $3,111,517 in additional education funding thanks to the federal Education Jobs Fund signed into law by President Obama on August 10, 2010.
Under the allocation of funding, which is designed to preserve teaching jobs, Ashland will receive $253,982, Franklin will receive $1,295,418, Holliston will receive $343,005, Hopkinton will receive $315,671, Medway will receive $484,561 and Natick will receive $418,880.
“This additional federal money allows Chapter 70 education aid to be fully funded in every community in the state,” state Senator Spilka. “This announcement, coming on the heels of $250 million in Race to the Top funds, demonstrates how, by working together, we can translate the Commonwealth’s single-minded commitment to education into results.”
The $204 million from the federal Education Jobs Fund to school districts across the Commonwealth brings state support for public schools to its highest level in history. A combination of state and federal dollars totaling $4.07 billion will ensure all school districts receive more state aid - at least $25 per student - than they did last year. The new funding will support an estimated 2,700 teaching positions across the state.
The Education Jobs Fund provides $26 billion nationwide to preserve jobs for teachers and other school-based employees. The Commonwealth's $204 million appropriation will be directly distributed to school districts through the state's education funding formula and combined with state and federal funds to ensure that every school district across the state meets its foundation level budget for the 2010-2011 school year. With this new infusion of federal funding, Chapter 70 will be fully funded without using nearly $60 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds available for general government purposes.
This year the state will commit nearly $3.85 billion in Chapter 70 education funds to cities and towns. By combining these state dollars with $204 million in Education Jobs Funds and $20.7 million in existing ARRA funds, the state will meet its commitment to helping every school district reach foundation level spending targets in Fiscal Year 2011.
Yesterday, Massachusetts received $250 million from the federal Race to the Top program. These funds will be used to implement landmark education reforms, including providing new and more immediate opportunities to turn around underperforming schools and close achievement gaps, expand access to successful charter schools and authorize new Innovation Schools to provide greater choice for students and their families.
Franklin, MA
I voted for the override and I'm thrilled to see the schools getting the money they need. However, override opponents will point to this to say "See, somehow Franklin comes up with the money without an override."
ReplyDeleteIf the override had passed, the schools would have received the 1.9 million they needed. Now Franklin is getting almost 1.3 million from the Education Jobs Fund. With school starting in less than a week, will Franklin be able to hire teachers this year to keep class sizes smaller? Or will they bank it since we're probably not going to meet the school budget next year?
Yes, the override opponents will find more fuel in this one time award for sure.
ReplyDeleteAs for what the School Committee/Administration will do, I won't speculate. As you indicate they could use some of it now to reduce class size or hold it until next year, or something in between. We'll have to wait and see.