U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the availability of $1.4 billion in stimulus funding to help Pennsylvania save teaching jobs at risk from state and local budget cuts.
The funding will help Pennsylvania school districts meet federal mandates to educate all students equally, including those with disabilities who need special education programs. Duncan argued that investing in education provides a huge benefit to society in the creation of a better educated workforce that leads to greater wealth and economic growth for communities.
"The Recovery Act was designed to meet two critical challenges: rescue the economy from the immediate peril it faces and invest in the building blocks of a strong economy," Duncan said. "The Recovery Act investments in our students and our schools will have a huge payoff in the years ahead."
Since April 1, Pennsylvania has received more than $400 million in Title I funding and nearly $460 million in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funding. On April 1, Pennsylvania received $10.5 million in Vocational Rehabilitation funds and more than $550,000 in Independent Living funds.
So far, Pennsylvania has received $1.2 billion in stimulus funds for Title I, Vocational Rehabilitation and Independent Living grants and IDEA programs.
Pennsylvania schools have to help the government track student performance by providing the DOE with basic information regarding the quality of classroom teachers, annual student improvements and interventions in turning around underperforming schools.
One way the state is improving the education of its young people is through recognition of excellent teachers, who exemplify the qualities young people can look up to and schools need to perform well.
The state department of education recently recognized Michelle Switala, a mathematics teacher at Pine-Richland School District in Allegheny County, as Pennsylvania’s 2010 Teacher of the Year.