Va. gains access to $800 million in education stimulus funds

By: Olympia Meola | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: May 26, 2009

Virginia now has access to $806 million in education stimulus funding to help local school districts back fill budget cuts and save teaching jobs.

Yesterday's release of the first portion of state stabilization money comes less than two weeks after Virginia submitted an application for its cut.

"The impact of these funds will be felt this summer and fall as teachers and other vital employees -- who otherwise would have lost their jobs -- return to schools across Virginia to serve the commonwealth's children," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright.

The state can apply for an additional $397 million this fall.

So far, Virginia has received $240 million in education stimulus money for established federal programs and for some grants, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition to those pots of money, state educators hope to compete for part of an additional $5 billion in stimulus money that will be awarded to states most aggressively trying to improve student achievement.

Of the $806 million released today, $659 million will be used to maintain state support to K-12 education and colleges and universities and to mitigate the need to raise in-state tuition rates, according to Sens. Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner, both Virginia Democrats. The remaining $147 million will be put toward other projects, including construction at higher education facilities, they said.

In the application submitted March 15, state officials had to assure the federal education department that the state will collect, publish, analyze and act on information about teacher quality, student improvements, college readiness, the effectiveness of state standards and assessments and interventions in turning around underperforming schools, among other things.

It must also report on how many jobs are saved with the funding and how the money is spent.