President Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
into law on February 19, 2009.
The
overall goals of the ARRA are to stimulate the economy in the short term and
invest in education and other essential public services to ensure the long-term economic
health of our nation.
Governor Carcieri has established the
Rhode Island Office of Economic Recovery and Reinvestment which is
responsible for administering and complying with ARRA and other state and
federal economic stimulus legislation.
ARRA contains more than 100 billion dollars in funds for education:
US Department Overview.
ARRA@RIDE has
been established to provide up to date information about the allocation and
expenditure of these funds in Rhode Island.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, four principles guide the distribution and use of ARRA funds:
- Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs.
- Ensure transparency, reporting and accountability.
- Invest one-time ARRA funds thoughtfully to minimize the “funding cliff.”
- Improve student achievement through school improvement and reform.
Advance Core Reforms: Assurances to USED
States must address four specific areas identified in ARRA that evidence shows make a critical contribution to student results:
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Making progress toward rigorous college- and career-ready standards and
high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable for all students,
including English language learners and students with disabilities
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Establishing pre-K-to college and career data systems that track
progress and foster continuous improvement
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Providing intensive support and effective interventions for the
lowest-performing schools
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Making improvements in teacher effectiveness and in the equitable
distribution of qualified teachers for all students, particularly
students who are most in need
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The success of the education part of the
ARRA will depend on the shared commitment and responsibility of students,
parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, education boards, college
presidents, State school chiefs, governors, local officials, and federal
officials. Collectively, we must advance ARRA’s short-term economic goals
by investing quickly, and we must support ARRA’s long-term economic goals by
investing wisely, using these funds to strengthen education, drive reforms,
and improve results for students from pre-kindergarten through college. (USED)