"State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces
Submission of Application for $324 Million
in Federal State Fiscal Stabilization Funds"
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced California has submitted its application for the last 10 percent of funding from the federal State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) that would be allocated to the state totaling $324 million for kindergarten through grade twelve public education.
"My gratitude goes to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and President Barack Obama for making these funds available that have helped our financially struggling schools get through these tough economic times," said O'Connell. "I will continue to work closely with Governor Schwarzenegger to secure these much-needed funds for California schools. With this federal support we can further our efforts to improve student achievement by ensuring that all students have access to effective teachers, enhancing our longitudinal data system, maintaining our high standards, and focusing on data-driven reforms to help struggling schools."
SFSF is part of the federal stimulus package called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Funding comes in two phases. In the first phase, California received a grant of $2.6 billion in the spring of 2009, and an additional $355 million in the fall of 2009, making up 90 percent of the total amount available for K-12 public education. Of these amounts, $2.5 billion has already been disbursed to the public school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education. The funds are designed to help schools avert cuts in services and personnel, repair schools, and advance early learning to help students and their families.
The California Department of Education worked closely with the Schwarzenegger administration to prepare the application for the second and final phase of these SFSF funds totaling $324 million for K-12 education. To secure the funding, California assured the federal government that the state is making progress in four areas of reform. These include achieving equity in teacher distribution, improving collection and use of data, improving standards and assessments, and supporting struggling schools. How the second phase of funding will be disbursed has not been finalized yet.
For more information on the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, please visit State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.