Economic Stimulus Package Breakdown

Dear Colleagues:

The Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives today released its Economic Stimulus Package. The House of Representatives will begin hearings next week on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

As you know, we are working to have the Congress include funds for CIS site coordinator positions in the legislation. You have likely received the CIS action alert with sample e-mail you can send your U.S. Representatives and Senators urging them to include money for CIS site coordinators in the legislation. Please take action and also forward the alert to other supporters of CIS. We must make our voices heard to succeed.

Here are some highlights of what the Appropriations Committee has proposed related to education and community services:
The overall funding for education in this bill for the next two years is $41 billion. Here is the breakdown:

Title I Help for Disadvantaged Kids: $13 billion for grants to help disadvantaged kids in nearly every school district and more than half of all public schools reach high academic standards.

IDEA Special Education: $13 billion for formula grants to increase the federal share of special education costs and prevent these mandatory costs from forcing states to cut other areas of education.

School Modernization and Construction: $14 billion for K-12 school renovation and modernization including technology upgrades and energy efficiency improvements.

Education Technology: $1 billion for 21st century classrooms, including computer science labs and teacher technology training.

Statewide Data Systems: $250 million for competitive grants to states to design and develop data systems that analyze individual student data to find ways to improve student achievement, providing teachers and administrators with effective tools.

Education for Homeless Children and Youth: $66 million for formula grants to states to provide services to homeless children including meals and transportation when high unemployment and home foreclosures have created an influx of homeless kids.

Child Care Development Block Grant: $2 billion to provide child care services for an additional 300,000 children in low-income families while their parents go to work. Today only one out of seven eligible children receives care.

Improving Teacher Quality: $300 million, including $200 million for competitive grants to school districts and states to provide financial incentives for teachers and principals who raise student achievement and close the achievement gaps in high-need schools; and $100 million for competitive grants to states to address teacher shortages and modernize the teaching workforce.

There is $40 billion to states and an additional $39 billion to school districts, public colleges and universities. These two funding sources have been created to stabilize budgets, prevent tax increases and deep cuts to critical education programs.

Community Services
Compassion Capital Fund: $100 million for grants to faith- and community-based organizations to provide critical safety net services to individuals and families.

AmeriCorps Programs: $200 million to put approximately 16,000 additional AmeriCorps members to work doing national service, meeting needs of vulnerable populations and communities during the recession.

Community Services Block Grant: $1 billion for grants to local communities to support employment, food, housing and healthcare efforts serving those hardest hit by the recession. Community action agencies have seen dramatic increases in requests for their assistance due to rising unemployment, housing foreclosures, and high food and fuel prices.

If you're interested in the 13 page summary, please go to: http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/PressSummary01-15-09.pdf