Carson Hails Release of $765 Million For Education
May 19, 2009
May 19, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS – Congressman André Carson today hailed the release of $765 million from the U.S. Department of Education to the State of Indiana, and encouraged the state to utilize the funds for their intended purpose: to save teaching jobs and pay for education reforms that work.
The infusion of funding, part of the landmark American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is intended to help states invest in education reform by avoiding major cuts in school funds and stabilizing state coffers. Unlike other states, Indiana has not had to cut education funding in recent years, so the opportunity is there to invest these Recovery Act dollars for significant reform efforts, Carson said.
"Indiana, due to the past prudent fiscal management of the Governor and State Legislature, is in a position to use these funds to lay the foundation for significant reforms in our classrooms," said Congressman Carson. "This means, as the U.S. Department of Education has outlined, funding education at proper state levels, keeping quality teachers in classrooms and laying the groundwork for a generation of education reform."
Carson mentioned that previously allocated funding is already positively impacting local classrooms. Earlier this month, Indianapolis Public Schools credited Recovery Act dollars for saving the jobs of nearly 200 teachers who were on track to be laid off due to budget constraints.
The $765 million released today by the Department of Education represents nearly 75 percent of Indiana's allotment of state fiscal stabilization funding. The application to receive the remaining $242 million will be available this fall. That portion of funding is contingent on states showing that they have properly utilized the initial allotment.
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