Education Stimulus Money Spending Plan to Be Released in the Next Week

by: Grant McClure

Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:46 PM CDT

Around $2.5 billion of the education stimulus money will be given to the state by the end of March. Another $1.3 billion will be available later this year. Legislators and the education commissioner will decide how to spend about $3.2 billion, which can go toward primary, secondary and higher education.

From the Houston Chronicle via AP:

Scott told a House committee overseeing the economic stimulus money that he wants to coordinate closely with legislative budget writers as he comes up with his agency's recommendations for the stimulus spending plan, which must be submitted to federal officials by Perry.

The state is supposed to adhere to federally designated principles in deciding how to spend the money, including addressing college and career readiness; sound assessment and data systems; teacher effectiveness and equity in teacher distribution; and help for struggling schools. Federal officials would also like money to go toward expanded pre-kindergarten education, Scott said.

"We're going to have to demonstrate our commitment to those four principles," Scott said, adding that Texas is already concentrating on many of those areas in education.

He said he believes Texas has a good story to tell as it proposes how it will spend the federal money.

"We have a tremendous opportunity here," he said. "I don't want to see us squander it."

The Texas Education Agency also is providing guidelines for school districts on how to spend their share of federal money, Scott said.

Texas is expected to get more than $16 billion overall from the federal economic recovery package, with the largest chunk directed toward education. Of that $6 billion in education money, about $2.2 billion is dedicated by law for special education and low-income students for school districts. The majority of the rest is what the Legislature and governor will decide on.

I'm looking forward to seeing the effects that money actually has on local schools. As a student in Austin, I know there's a lot to be improved. While I know that the stimulus funds will in no way get close to solving the education funding problems, it will certainly help school districts around the state.

Hubert Vo Calls for Website to Track to Stimulus Spending

by: David Mauro

Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 11:08 PM CST

In a letter to Gov. Rick Perry, State Rep. Hubert Vo (D-Houston) said a website should be created to track stimulus spending in order to ensure "the strictest level of accountability and transparency."

From Rep. Vo's letter:

... I am respectfully requesting that your office create an official state website to track the money as it comes in and to show exactly where it goes. Texas taxpayers have a right to strict accountability and deserve to have this one stop online resource.

As you know, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will direct funds to your office and other state agencies for distribution to local programs. A lot of data is expected to be made available in the next few weeks. Texas taxpayers should be able to count on a simple online resource to determine where that money is being spent. Which communities are benefiting? Which federal or state contractors are being hired? Which school districts, hospitals, or other organizations are receiving this assistance -- and how are they putting it to use?

This would be a great way to open up the process and let people see exactly where this money will end up. Whether Rick Perry will decide to do it, well, that's another story.