Welcome to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Program Staff

Dr. Jim McBride, Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction "My philosophy on these funds is it is an opportunity to make a positive impact on academic achievement and provide local community support." "We want these funds to be used appropriately and for educational strategies that are effective." "We also need to remember these funds are one-time opportunities and cannot be used to fund unsustainable ideas." "We will be accountable for how the funds are spent and report that information to the public as the federal government is requiring."

WDE ARRA Communication ARRA Memo 1 ARRA Memo 2 ARRA Memo 3 ARRA Memo 4

ARRA Video Presentations District WEN Video Meeting - June 2009 Low     High

ARRA School Improvement Conference Presentation 2009 PPT

Funding for K-12 Education via existing programs

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides funding to Wyoming school districts through a number of existing federal programs.  The largest sums will flow through Title I-A (Grants to local districts for disadvantaged students) and through IDEA (grants for students with disabilities).  Funds in these categories are flow through, with no provision for state administrative funds, or state discretion.

All programs appear to have two year funding duration. State maintenance of effort (MOE) is required on all programs, at 2008-2009 levels. The U.S. Department of Education has indicated that it intends to proceed quickly with administering the funds once the guidance and policies are established. Title I, IDEA and State Fiscal Stabilization Funds will be the first funds that are distributed by the U.S. Department of Education.

Title I-A (ESEA)

National Fund Total - $10 Billion

Wyoming Estimate - $26.2 Million

The primary source of federal aid to the K-12 program is Title I-A of the law most commonly referred to as No Child Left  Behind (NCLB).  Title I grants provide supplementary educational and related services to low achieving and other pupils attending pre-kindergarten through grade 12 schools with high concentrations of pupils from low income families.  All Wyoming school districts receive Title I funds.  ARRA requires funds generated under this formula to be used for the purposes authorized in Title IA of NCLB.  The bill also appears to require that a certain percentage is targeted to students not performing at grade level.  Possible uses may also be available for kindergarten readiness or preschool programs.

Application required at the state level? For the first 50%, no; for the second 50%, an amendment to the Title I application will have to be made with specific data collections detailing affect of the funds on four assurances contained in the ARRA.

Implementation and application requirements – The funds will be distributed through the existing Title I formula and must be used for Title I activities. However, there are opportunities for waivers on state administration funds, set-aside and maintenance of effort that are being explored by the Wyoming Department of Education.

IDEA

National Fund Total - $11.3 Billion (Part B sec 611), $400 Million (Part B sec 619)

Wyoming Estimate - $ 25.79 Million, $1.13 Million

IDEA funds are provided to states that “provide a free appropriate public education to each eligible child with a disability.”  Part B contains provisions relating to the education of school aged children (grants that flow to districts) and a state grant program for serving preschool children with disabilities.
IDEA Part B funds flow in large part directly to school districts.  One portion of these funds flows to the state’s DD preschools. 

Application required at the state level? For the first 50%, no; For the second 50%, an amendment to the IDEA state application will have to be made with specific data collections detailing affect of the funds on four assurances contained in the ARRA.

Implementation and application requirements – The funds will be distributed through the existing IDEA formula and must be used for IDEA activities. However, there are opportunities for waivers on state administration funds, set-aside and maintenance of effort that are being explored by the Wyoming Department of Education. In addition, there could be some additional flexibility at the district level. The Wyoming Department of Education will be providing addiitional guidance once available.

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance

National Fund Total - $70 Million

Wyoming Estimate - $69,000

This program provides assistance to states (via grants to local districts) to ensure that all homeless children and youth have access to the same public education provided to other children and youth. 
ARRA provides competitive grants made by the state to local districts, which must be used to facilitate enrollment attendance and success in school of homeless children and youth.  The additional funds must be expended in accordance with current provisions of federal law.

Application Required – Yes

Deadline - TBD

Implementation and application requirements – Homeless assistance is one of the few areas that contain preset deadlines and requirements established by the conferees. The funds will be distributed by the U.S. Secretary of Education to the states no later than 60 days after the ARR Act is final. The state education agency will sub grant the funds to the local education agencies no later than 120 days after receipt of the funds. In addition, the amount of funds a state receives is based on the homeless student population reported to the state by the local education agencies.

FALL 2009 FUNDING

The following funding is scheduled to receive guidance in the fall of 2009. The funding includes both Title program funding and competitive grants. As soon as guidance is available, the Wyoming Department of Education will begin working with school districts and other education organizations to determine eligibility, need and allowable uses.

Title I-A School Improvement Grants

National Fund Total - $3 Billion

Wyoming Estimate - $6.78 Million

Funds in this program are generated by a calculation of a state’s share of programs directed to migrant education and neglected and delinquent children.  Grants must be used by local districts to support school improvement, with priority given to the lowest achieving schools and the “greatest commitment to ensuring such funds are used to provide adequate resources” to meet school improvement goals.

Application Required – TBD

Deadline - TBD

Implementation and application requirements – Likely to follow ESEA formula, but we are still awaiting final guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. In addition, the conferees directed the U.S. Department of Education to encourage states to use 40 percent of their School Improvement allocation for middle and high schools.

Title II-Education Technology

National Fund Total - $650 Million

Wyoming Estimate - $3.21 Million

The purposes of Title II Part D are to 1) improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in elementary and secondary schools; 2) assist every student in crossing the digital divide by ensuring that every student is technologically literate by the end of 8th grade; and 3) encourage the effective integration of technology through teacher training and curriculum development to establish successful research-based instructional methods.

Application Required – Yes

Deadline - TBD

Teacher Incentive Fund

Competitive Grant, no additional guidance or definition of program available at this time. Information expected to be provided in the Fall of 2009.

Teacher Quality Enhancement Grant

Competitive Grant, no additional guidance or definition of program available at this time. Information expected to be provided in the Fall of 2009.

Statewide Data Systems

Competitive Grant, no additional guidance or definition of program available at this time. Information expected to be provided in the Fall of 2009.