CONTENTS

June 18, 2009

Every Thursday, REL-NEI highlights state-based resources, press releases, and news around the Northeast and Islands Region related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). For a listing of REL Issues & Answers Reports categorized under ARRA topics and domains, click here.

Duncan Commits $350 Million for Rigorous Assessments

On June 15th, in the second of four major policy speeches on the priorities for the Race to the Top fund, Secretary Duncan announced that the Department of Education will commit up to $350 million of the $4.35 billion fund to support states in the creation of rigorous assessments linked to the internationally benchmarked common standards being developed by states.

On June 12th, the Massachusetts Department of Education posted a spreadsheet detailing Current Federal Stimulus Allocations by district.

On June 11th, Secretary Duncan announced more than $363 million in Recovery funds for Connecticut to save teaching jobs and drive education reform. Connecticut will be eligible to apply for another $179 million this fall. To date, it has received $109 million in education stimulus funds—a combination of funding for Title I, IDEA, Vocational Rehabilitation Grants, and Independent Living Grants. On April 1st, Connecticut received more than $35 million in Title I funding and more than $71 million in IDEA funding. This represents 50 percent of the Title I and IDEA funding the state is eligible for in total. On April 1st, Connecticut also received $1.7 million in Vocational Rehab funds and $671,000 in Independent Living funds.

On June 11th, the New Hampshire Department of Education posted the Eligible Districts (PDF), the Application for Funds (PDF), and the Application Instructions (PDF) for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Program. On June 15th, the Department posted Web-based Application Information (PDF) and the Web-based Application Process (PP) for IDEA Recovery Funds.

For more information, visit these Recovery.gov websites across the Northeast and Islands Region:

Connecticut
http://www.recovery.ct.gov/recovery/site/default.asp
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2703&Q=322296

Maine
http://www.maine.gov/recovery/
http://www.maine.gov/education/recovery/index.html

Massachusetts
www.mass.gov/recovery
http://www.doe.mass.edu/arra/

New Hampshire
http://www.nh.gov/recovery/
http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/recovery/index.htm

New York
http://uspeny.nysed.gov/arra/

Rhode Island
http://www.recovery.ri.gov/
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Finance/Funding/ARRA/

Vermont
http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/dept/recovery_act.html

Puerto Rico
http://www.buengobiernopr.com/arra/index.html

U.S. Virgin Islands
http://www.governordejongh.com/recovery/index.html

US Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html

Knowledge Alliance
http://www.knowledgeall.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87&Itemid=34