As budget crisis crippled schools, $71 million stimulus sat unused
For nearly a year, California schools have missed out on the opportunity to spend tens of millions of dollars in federal stimulus dollars as lawmakers and state officials debate how to spend it.
The debate over education technology funds has kept the money in state bank accounts, unable to help thousands of K-to-12 schools it was intended for. California Watch learned of the delays yesterday through interviews and documents.
About half of the funds – $34 million – were set aside for 1,063 local education agencies. But that decision was announced on July 16, nearly a year after the money was delivered to the state. It is unclear when the remaining $37 million of the federal Enhancing Education Through Technology money (EETT for short) will be released.
While a debate about expenditures is nothing new, the stall over these stimulus funds is