Press Releases
Pascrell Announces An Estimated $56m Increase For Disadvantaged & Special Needs Students In New Jersey's 8th District Under The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act
Paterson, NJ,
February 23, 2009
Tags:
Education
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) today announced that Eighth Congressional District Schools will receive an estimated $56 million funding increase for disadvantaged and special needs students under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the upcoming fiscal year. The funding will come in addition to amounts otherwise provided by Congress on an annual basis. Funding for schools with a significant low-income student population under Title I-A is estimated to increase by an estimated $24 million in the Eighth Congressional District alone. “The very best investment we can make is in our young students,” stated Pascrell. “They are unquestionably America’s best resource and must be made a priority, especially in difficult economic times. Tough economic conditions are not an excuse to let America’s low-income students lose out on valuable school resources and support services. This funding represents an excellent opportunity for schools to preserve and add programs and resources that will better serve America’s disadvantaged students.” Pascrell continued, “With this new funding also comes an important responsibility for school administrators to ensure that every dime is invested wisely. Given the historic new level of transparency written in to the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Congress and the public will be watching the way our students progress very closely.” Local Education Agencies with a significant percentage children living below the poverty line as provided by the United States Census Bureau are estimated to receive the following Title I-A funding allotments. Examples of Title I-A programs include support for extra instruction in reading and mathematics, as well as special preschool, after-school, and summer programs to extend and reinforce the regular school curriculum. The following estimates are provided by the United States Department of Education. ESTIMATED TITLE I-A FUNDING: Municipality *Estimates for Passaic County Technical Institute are not yet available ESTIMATED TITLE I-A FUNDING: ESSEX COUNTY-Eighth Congressional District Municipality Additionally, the House Committee on Education and Labor along with the Congressional Research Service estimate the following Eighth District Local Education Agencies will receive $32 million in IDEA funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: ESTIMATED IDEA PART B FUNDING Municipality *Estimates for Passaic County Technical Institute are not yet available ESTIMATED IDEA PART B FUNDING Municipality “The cost of educating a special needs student far exceeds that of educating other students,” stated Pascrell. “IDEA is a program that works and has helped millions of students overcome unfair obstacles in the classroom. I am pleased that this investment is far reaching and careful not to let America’s special needs students slip through the cracks.” In addition to the Title I-A and IDEA funding, New Jersey is in line to receive $1,339,998,000 in funding through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, which can be to help avert education cuts or invest in school modernization. Nationally, the legislation provides for states and school systems to issue $24.8 billion in bonds for renovation, repair and school construction. “The education piece of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act lays out a bold plan to advance our aging schools and prepare our young students to excel deep into the 21st century,” stated Pascrell. “Job creation and retention, school modernization, and better student preparation will stimulate the economy and secure America’s place as a world leader for generations to come.” In order to provide the highest level of transparency for this historic federal investment, the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act can be viewed on www.recovery.gov |