The money is aimed at personnel…..saving, creating, and retaining jobs. This includes provision of pay, benefits, training and development that will help recruit/retain staff positions.Myth: We HAVE to use this money THIS year (2010-11)
FACT: The documents are clear. The money can be used anytime but must be expended by 9/30/2012. Seriously...with 2 months of the school year already in the books, and some school districts already having passed their budgets, did it even remotely sound logical that we would have to spend it all by June 30, 2011?
Myth: The money must be used to hire teachers.
FACT: You can use the funds to support school‐level jobs. You cannot use the funds to pay district‐level administrative positions, but you CAN use the funds to pay for teachers, teacher assistants, principals, assistant principals, counselors, librarians, physical/occupational/speech therapists, custodians, cafeteria/school lunch staff, bus drivers and other school‐based workers (this would include a social worker who, while paid at the district level, spends all their time at the school level, on‐site, working with students).
Myth: We can't use any of this funding to pay for school security or groundsworkers.
FACT: " In addition to teachers, employees supported with program funds may include, among others, principals, assistant principals, academic coaches, in-service teacher trainers, classroom aides, counselors, librarians, secretaries, social workers, psychologists, interpreters, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, information technology personnel, nurses, athletic coaches, security officers, custodians, maintenance workers, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers. "
Myth: This money can only be used to hire new staff or call back laid off staff
FACT: If you were not reducing personnel, you can use the federal funds to cover those existing salaries/ wages (you CAN supplant at the district level) and reassign the freed‐up local dollars for other budget needs.
Myth: We could not use any of the money for health insurance costs or early retirement incentives.
FACT: "...must use its funds only for compensation and benefits and other expenses, such as support services..."; the phrase “compensation and benefits and other expenses, such as support services” includes, among other things, salaries, performance bonuses, health insurance, retirement benefits, incentives for early retirement, pension fund contributions, tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment assistance, transportation subsidies, and reimbursement for childcare expenses."
Prohibitions on the Funds
prohibited expenses are administrative expenditures related to the operation of the superintendent’s office or the[District's] board of education, including the salaries and benefits of [District]-level administrative employees. "...prohibited activities include the payment of expenditures for fiscal services, [District] program planners and researchers, and human resource services."
A [District] may not use the funds to pay for contractual school-level services by individuals who are not employees of an [District] (e.g., janitors employed by an outside firm).
There's even a phone number and e-mail address for questions!
You may submit specific questions about the Ed Jobs program by e-mail to EducationJobsFund@ed.gov or by phone at 202-453-7500. We will respond promptly to your questions.
We're betting that an open records request will not yield any calls or e-mails--after all....we know better than the rest.
RESOURCES to answer questions about Education Jobs Funds
US Dept. of Education link
Link to document: Initial Guidance for States on the Education Jobs Fund Program
American Association of School Administrators - Q&A: Education Jobs Fund
Called the fool and the company,
On his own where he’d rather be.
Where he ought to be
he sees what you can’t see, can’t you see that?
Maybe he’s caught in the legend,
Maybe he’s caught in the mood.
Maybe these maps and legends
Have been misunderstood.
---R.E.M. Maps and Legends
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