Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Congressman Brian Baird announced last week that schools in Southwest Washington would receive more than $45 million in emergency education funding. The money has been released for education-related jobs and will maintain programs for low-income students and students with disabilities.
The schools will receive $14.7 million in Title I funds and $30.4 million in IDEA (Individuals with disabilities Education Act) funds effective immediately. The funds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Congressman Baird said in a press release that schools are being forced to make decisions that could affect the future of thousands of children. “This money will help make many of those decisions unnecessary; it will save jobs and help ensure that kids in Southwest Washington have a brighter future.”
The ARRA has provided $13 billion in Title I funds, which helps low income students, and $13.5 billion in IDEA funds, which helps students with disabilities nationwide.
This is the first of two installments for the programs under President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The second installment will be released this fall.
Because Wahkiakum School District is involved in a co-op, the funds will go to the Educational Service District (ESD) 112. Superintendent Bob Garrett said the additional IDEA monies may allow for an offset of ESD bills, but it is too soon to tell.
If a teaching position is cut, the Title I money, could help bring some employees back to work with the kids that fall under the “at risk or below grade level” category, which is remedial education, not special education.Garrett said there is no question the money the feds are sending is going to help with the cuts.
“We are grateful; however, it is a drop in the bucket to what the state may cut," Garrett said. "Until we know what they are doing, it is hard to envision what total programs may look like next year.”
Naselle/Grays River Valley School District Superintendent Alan Bennett was unavailable for comment.
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