Keep Our Educators Working Act proposes $23 billion to fund education
A bill that could provide $23 billion in education funding for states was introduced in the Senate Wednesday.
The Keep Our Educators Working Act would prevent the layoffs of teachers, librarians and school personnel in states facing budget shortfalls in education.
In addition, the bill could fund the retention and hiring of new educators or on-the-job training for education-related careers, according to a statement from Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the bill’s sponsor.
The University of California system is still analyzing the bill, but, as of now, the bill is targeted primarily at K-12 education, said Carolyn Henrich, legislative director of education at the UC office of federal government relations.
The $23 billion appropriated from the bill would go to a general fund, part of which would be used to protect educators who would otherwise be laid off. As a result, the impact it would have on the UC system would be limited, since the biggest deficits are on K-12 education, Henrich said. Furthermore, any funding would go toward the creation and retention of education jobs, not programs, she added.
Christopher Harrington, director of the UC Office of the President national media communications, said the office believes this bill will have limited impact on the UC
