Durbin Announces Over $1.8 Billion in Recovery Act Funding Now Available for Illinois Schools
DOE makes $44 billion available nationwide education programs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that $1,871,685,355 in Recovery Act funding is now available for states and schools to lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save hundreds of teaching jobs around Illinois.
“Investing in our children’s future is an investment in our nation’s future,” said Durbin. “At a time when states face difficult choices about filling increasing budget gaps, today’s funding will increase access to education and save teaching jobs around the country.”
The Department of Education announced earlier today that applications and guidelines for $32.6 billion in nationwide Recovery Act funding will be made available under the State Stabilization Fund, representing two-thirds of the total dollars in the Fund. This includes $26.6 billion to save jobs and improve K-12 and higher education and a separate $6 billion in a Government Services Fund to pay for education, public safety or other government services.
Additionally, $11.4 billion is immediately available nationwide under the Title I, IDEA, Vocational Rehabilitation and Independent Living programs. Today’s funding will be released within two weeks of an application’s approval. A second round of stabilization funds will be released later in the year. A third round of funding, the Race to the Top competitive grant program will reward states that have made the most progress on reforms.
The following funding will be made available to Illinois states and schools under today’s announcement:
• $210 million in funding for Title I grants to help close the achievement gap and enable disadvantaged students to reach their potential;
• $271 million in funding for IDEA (Special Education) funding to help improve educational outcomes for students with special needs, raising the federal contribution to nearly 40 percent, the level established when the law was authorized more than 30 years ago;
• $570,697 in funding for Independent Living programs which provide support for independent living services, including information and referral, independent living skills training, peer counseling, and outreach.
• $20 million in funding for Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants which support services to help individuals with disabilities prepare for and engage in employment.
• $1,370,114,658 in funding through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to local school districts and public colleges and universities
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