Education Jobs Bill –Allow Funds to be Spent over Multiple Years and Invest in Special Education � The Quick and the Ed

Education Jobs Bill –Allow Funds to be Spent over Multiple Years and Invest in Special Education � The Quick and the Ed

Education Jobs Bill –Allow Funds to be Spent over Multiple Years and Invest in Special Education

by Rob Manwaring

To date most of the debate on Senator Harkin proposed $23 billion edujobs bill has focused on teacher seniority policy (See National Journal for both sides of that debate). But, I propose that the Senate consider two changes to how this funding gets used that have nothing to do with that debate. First, any funding package should allow states to spread the funding over multiple years. Second, a portion of the funding should be set aside for special education and a small portion for student information systems.
There has obviously been debate about whether a second education package is needed or not, and whether teacher jobs should be saved when other jobs are not. And, even if Congress can agree on making investments to preserve education jobs, will the additional funding stay in education or will states reduce their state and local support for education and redirect those funds to help solve state budget holes. I think that the case can be made for providing at least some additional temporary relief for education funding. In some states like California,