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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act— Exploring Use of the Funds

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act— Exploring Use of the Funds. Bob Harmon, Gayle Pauley, and Yvonne Ryans October 2009. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has provided Washington school districts funds to improve student learning.

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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act— Exploring Use of the Funds

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  1. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act— Exploring Use of the Funds Bob Harmon, Gayle Pauley, and Yvonne Ryans October 2009

  2. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has provided Washington school districts funds to improve student learning. • Explore how districts are using these funds to accelerate results for students, to improve productivity among staff and foster continuous improvement. • Review information about accountability requirements. • Review how ARRA meshes/contrasts with education finance reform. • Explore ARRA and how funding has been distributed to school districts. • Identify how districts are using the funds to accelerate student results. • Recognize the accountability requirements of ARRA as it relates to the use of funds. • Share information with other districts and state experts about issues or concerns.

  3. Four Principles That Guide Distribution and Use of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds • Spend Funds Quickly to Save and Create Jobs • Improve Student Achievement Through School Improvement and Reform • Ensure Transparency, Reporting, and Accountability • Invest One-Time ARRA Funds Thoughtfully to Minimize the “Funding Cliff”

  4. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act State Fiscal Stabilization Funds Increases to Formula Grants Governor’s Portion $1.0B WA State U.S. Dept. of ED Secretary’s National Amount • Title I-A Allocation ($135.3M) • School Improvement Grants (1003 (g) Funds) • Educational Technology Grant • Homeless Grant • IDEA, Part B & 619 • 18.2% • $182.4 M • Used for Public Safety Initiatives – can be used for education • 81.8% • $819.9M • Distributed between K-12 and Higher Education to cover budget shortfalls • Based on State Funding Formulas • Competitive Grant Applications • Based on how well the state has used the Governor’s Portion of the Stabilization Funds • Incentive Grants • Competitive • $4.35 B • Awarded to States • Innovative Grants • Competitive • $650 M • Direct to school districts from U.S. Dept of ED • Leftover Funds – those funds that were not needed to cover budget shortfalls • Funds will be distributed to LEAs based on their portion for the Title I Allocations • NOT Title I Funds – can be used for activities under ESEA, IDEA, Perkins, or for Building Modernization

  5. Washington’s Process Guide for ARRA Title I, Part A Funds

  6. Important Questions to Consider In making local decisions about how to most effectively invest recovery resources, districts are asked to consider the following: • Is the investment aligned and included in the school improvement plan? • Does the data from the school’s comprehensive needs assessment indicate a need for the investment? • Will the investment have a measureable impact on increasing student achievement? • Is the investment aligned to other academic strategies within the district/building which are effectively boosting achievement of the lowest performing students? Is it targeted, cohesive, and well integrated?

  7. Important Questions to Consider (continued) • Is the investment possible within the time frames required by the law? • Is the investment sustainable after the ARRA funds are gone? Does the investment develop the foundation in the next two years so that fundamental reforms are in place with sufficient momentum to endure once the ARRA funds are spent? Schools should be planning now for the funding that they will receive directly as a result of the ARRA. They should plan thoughtfully. Overall, the idea is to thoughtfully analyze current programs for effectiveness and act. If the program produces measurable results, then strengthen it. If not, then replace it with a research-based program/strategies that has achieved positive outcomes.

  8. iGrant Applications • ARRA Title I, Part A - 270 Districts have applied (23 do not receive ARRA Title I funds) • Regular Title I, Part A – 282 District have applied (13 do not receive Title I funds) • ARRA Waiver Application – 239 Districts have applied

  9. Questions & AnswersUsing Title I, Part A ARRA Funds for Grants to Local Educational Agencies to Strengthen Education, Drive Reform, and Improve Results for Students The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) GUIDANCE U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education September 2, 2009

  10. A-2. What should an LEA consider in spending its Title I, Part A ARRA funds, given that they are one-time-only funds that will no longer be available for obligation after September 30, 2011? An LEA should think about how to use its Title I, Part A ARRA funds on a short-term basis for activities that will have a lasting impact. For example, an LEA and its Title I schools may want to consider using Title I, Part A ARRA funds for: • Programs or activities that can be conducted productively for two years and then terminated, such as new teacher induction programs or intensive professional development on how teachers can help ELLs develop language skills and master student academic achievement standards. • Costs related to attracting effective teachers to Title I schools. • Conducting pilots to test approaches in Title I schools that, if successful, may be supported in all schools with other funds in the future.

  11. E-4. May an LEA use Title I, Part A ARRA funds to pilot an induction program for new teachers in Title I schools operating schoolwide programs? Yes. Comprehensive induction programs generally include regular mentoring (including observation and feedback on classroom teaching), opportunities to observe other teachers in their classrooms… An LEA that currently does not have an induction program for new teachers may use Title I, Part ARRA funds (alone or in combination with other funds, such as Title II, Part A funds) to pilot such a program in some or all of its Title I schools operating schoolwide programs. Piloting a new-teacher induction program may be a particularly effective strategy for using short-term Title I, Part A ARRA…

  12. G-4. Has the Department published any guidance on using Title I, Part A funds for preschool programs? Yes. For information about using Title I, Part A funds, including Title I, Part A ARRA funds, for preschool programs, see the Department’s non-regulatory guidance, Serving Preschool Children. Under Title I (Mar. 4, 2004) (available at: www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/preschoolguidance.doc )

  13. Scenarios How Districts may use ARRA Title I, Part A Funds

  14. Problem District A has identified that the K-3 teachers in Pleasant School need intensive professional development in the teaching of mathematics. The school is a Title I, Part A schoolwide building, with eight classrooms spanning Grades K-3. Solution The District can combine regular Title I, Part A and ARRA Title I, Part A funds to provide mathematics training for the eight classroom teachers. A highly qualified math teacher from another school had been laid off; this teacher is re-hired as the school’s math professional coach.

  15. Problem The district's two high schools consistently have a 60 percent or less graduation rate and many of the students drop out by the end of tenth grade. Their goal is to increase the number of students graduating from high school to 90 percent over the next two years. Solution The district has never put Title I, Part A dollars into their high schools. With the additional ARRA Title I, Part A funds, the district has decided that for the two years that these funds are available funds would be allocated to both eligible high schools following the Title I, Part A ranking and allocation rules in ESEA Section 113. The schools will implement a targeted assistance program that will focus on those students that are low achieving and at-risk of dropping out of high school. Each high school hires a teacher that will provide additional assistance to the students in their academic area of need and the high schools will implement a dropout prevention program.

  16. Waivers – Approved by USDE • Remove 14-Day Public School Choice Notification • Remove Prohibition on Approving an Identified School or District as an SES Provider • Allow “Step 1” Schools to Offer SES • Exclude 20% Obligation for PSC/SES • Exclude 10% Professional Development Set-Aside for Districts in Improvement • Exclude 10% Professional Development Set-Aside for Schools in Improvement • Exclude ARRA Funds in Determining the Per-Pupil $ for SES • Allow Carryover Limitation

  17. Questions? Contact: Title I, Part A/Learning Assistance Program Office (360) 725-6100 gayle.pauley@k12.wa.us Email

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