SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — California Recovery Task Force Director Herb K. Schultz issued the following statement and sent the following letter to the U.S. Department of Education in response to a March 4, 2010 letter regarding California’s State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Round Two Application:
“California has met all federal requirements for the second distribution of stimulus funding for education. I am disheartened that anyone would try to stand in the way of securing nearly a half a billion dollars in critical funding for our education system during these difficult economic times.”
Text of the Letter:
March 15, 2010
Dr. Joseph C. Conaty, Director
Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 3E314
Washington, D.C. 20202
Dear Dr. Conaty,
This letter is in response to the March 4, 2010 U.S. Department of Education letter requesting that California address concerns raised by the Parents and Students for Great Schools, the Education Coalition, and Sequoia Union High School District in regards to the California’s maintenance-of-effort (MOE) data under the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF). As noted in our responses below, California is abiding by the federal laws, guidance, and the intent of the SFSF grant. We are also taking the opportunity express our disappointment that, although the State has briefed these parties and shared the back-up for California’s MOE calculations, they continue to misinform their federal representatives and constituents. However what is even more troubling is their willingness to jeopardize future receipt of federal funds and cause there to be a significant delay in the receipt and distribution of SFSF funding. Nearly all of California’s education agencies, including school districts, charter schools, county offices of education, community colleges, the University of California and the California State