More On Education Stimulus From Education Secretary

Arne Duncan had this to say about the $100 billion in federal stimulus funds for education (that's out of the $787 billion in total stimulus):

"This is really a chance to avert an educational catastrophe and to save a generation of kids," Duncan said.

$44 billion will be released to states in the next 30-45 days. Education officials are hoping this will be enough to prevent hundreds of thousands of layoffs nationwide and massive program cuts. An additional $49 billion will be distributed within the next six months. The money will go towards three broad categories:

1. Title 1 - for economically disadvantaged 2. special education 3. state fiscal stabilization funds

The Washington Post article makes it clear that states will use the money to reverse big budget cuts already slated for education in some states such as Virginia and Maryland. Some of the early release money can be received by states without them having to file new paperwork. To receive other, later funds, states have to commit to:

raising academic standards testing students of all demographic groups tracking progress over time and sharing those results improving teacher effectiveness and distributing qualified teachers equitably intervening in poorly performing schools

Duncan says:

"I want to be really clear," he said. "Simply trying to keep the status quo is not good enough. We have to push to get dramatically better."

It actually sounds to me like a chunk of the education stimulus will be used to keep the status quo, and another chunk will be used to improve schools. If most of the first part is to prevent layoffs and program cuts, then certainly the stimulus, in part, serves to keep education exactly where it already is. I'll be curious to see how Texas spins its application for the improvement part of the stimulus. What does "dramatically better" look like to the Lege and TEA? We have some clue from the hodge podge of ideas from the Lege about changing the accountability system. I'm hoping Duncan has some real smart people on board ready to put time and attention to data driven solutions as they are doling out the cash. The last thing we need is more stabs in the dark and random dart throws at the dart board as we try to "avert an educational catastrophe".