States not facing teacher layoffs get federal money from education jobs bill anyway

Martin explained that the money does not have to go toward a new hire, an option many school districts have rejected given that there would be no more money to pay them once the federal money runs dry. So while the federal infusion of cash to school districts could keep teachers on payrolls, it is unlikely that districts will proactively hire new teachers and staff based on the newly available funds.

“Hiring teachers with money that’s short-lived is probably not the way to go,” said Bonnie Miller, administrative services director at the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. Her state has not had to face teacher cutbacks and will receive $22 million.

There are also states that are receiving new funds that have not even finished spending the money they received for education from last year’s stimulus bill. Illinois and West Virginia are still holding onto $670 million and $274 million of unspent stimulus money, respectively. Over the next few months Illinois will get another $415 million and West Virginia will collect $55 million for education.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton defended the action in a press briefing Tuesday.

“The vast majority of the stimulus has already been spent,” he said. ”It’s either out the door or it’s allocated to a specific project or it’s going to go out in the form of a tax cut that people are going to get in their paycheck.  We don’t think that we should turn any of that around. …We need to build on the progress that we’re making.”

According to the Department of Education, states will be able to apply for the funds allocated to them a few days after President Obama signs the bill into law, which should take place this week.

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