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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009


Illinois Education Pre-K-12


ARRA Boosts Education Funding in Illinois!

Kindergarten StudentsThe federal stimulus package, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), will provide up to $3 billion in education funding for Illinois.  Within that $3 billion, the stimulus package will provide nearly $1 billion in new funding for several existing programs, including Title I, Part A grants for educating economically disadvantaged youth and IDEA funds for educating students with disabilities.

The intended purpose of all of the ARRA funds is to save and create jobs, as well as improve education through four key education reform areas:

Within that $3 billion, Illinois is also eligible to receiving more than $2 billion from another portion of ARRA, called the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF), which is intended to prevent reductions in critical education funds for elementary and secondary education as well as public institutions of higher education.  These funds will flow through the state’s primary funding formulae, General State Aid.  No funds are now targeted for school modernization or repairs from SFSF.

Known funding levels from ARRA are as follows for Illinois.  More information for FY2010 will be forthcoming, e.g., for Title II, D funds for education technology.

Source
Revenue
Code
CFDA
ARRA Funds
Title I Low Income (Part A)
4851
84.389
$420,263,561
Title I School Improvement (1003g)
4855
84.388
$124,200,955
IDEA Part B Flow Through
4857
84.391
$506,479,753
IDEA Part B Preschool
4856
84.392
$18,311,491
McKinney-Vento Homeless Grants
4862
84.387
$2,581,569
Title II, D—Enhancing Education Through Technology
4861
84.386
$26,497,894
NSLP School Lunch Equipment
4863
10.579
$3,657,300
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund—Education
4850
84.394
$1,681,130,685
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund—Other Gov't Services
4870—General State Aid
4875—Early Childhood
84.397
$374,041,302
Total
$3,157,164,510

These funds must be spent expeditiously but sensibly.  Planning for their use in 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-2011 is critical.  We anticipate that the majority of the funds will be budgeted and used in 2009-10, with a small portion to be obligated in 2010-2011.  A single allocation will be available for the formula funds (such as IDEA Preschool) and must be expended by September 30, 2011.

There will also be competitive funds available after July 1st, called the Race to the Top funds.  Promising approaches are being requested in the four education reform areas stated above, with about $4.3 billion going out to all states and another $650 million going to districts nationwide.