Governor Paterson Submits Plan to Distribute Education Jobs Program Funding

ALBANY, NY (08/18/2010)(readMedia)-- Governor David A. Paterson today submitted his plan to the United States Department of Education for distributing more than $607 million in federal funding from the recently passed Education Jobs Fund. The Governor submitted his plan just one week after President Barack Obama signed the legislation into law.

As part of this plan, the Governor and the State's legislative leaders have agreed that the State will distribute the more than $607 million in funding to school districts according to the State's primary funding formulae to restore, retain and create teacher jobs.

"In this time of economic crisis, our State has been forced to make deep cuts across every area of our budget, including substantial cuts to education," Governor Paterson said. "These federal funds will help mitigate many of these cuts by retaining and creating teacher jobs. In just the week since this bill was signed into law, the legislative leaders and I have worked together to formulate a sound plan to ensure these funds are provided to our school districts in a timely manner."

The Education Jobs Fund will be distributed to school districts according to New York's primary funding formulae, including Foundation Aid, and it will be used to partially offset necessary reductions to School Aid in the 2010-11 Enacted Budget. In accordance with requirements of the federal legislation, the State will not use these funds to establish, restore or supplement a rainy-day fund. In addition, the State will develop and implement a monitoring plan to ensure school districts are in compliance with all programmatic and fiscal requirements established by the Department of Education.

Senate Majority Conference Leader John L. Sampson said: "Nothing is more important than protecting and creating jobs. That means keeping our teachers in their classrooms where they can continue to develop our next generation of thinkers, leaders and workers. The jobs saved today will keep the quality in our classrooms New York needs to move our economy forward. I want to thank Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, our Congressional delegation, Governor Paterson, and Speaker Silver for their determined advocacy, and in particular, Mayor Bloomberg, for undertaking a very successful lobbying effort in Washington to ensure New York received our fair share of federal funds that will keep New Yorkers working."

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said: "This much needed education funding from the federal government will ensure our students receive the quality education they deserve and retain critical teaching positions. I applaud New York State's Congressional delegation for securing these funds and recognizing the difficult budget choices the State faced. I also commend Assembly Education Committee Chair Catherine Nolan and the Assembly Majority for their unwavering commitment, throughout the budget process to our longstanding priority of providing every child in New York State with the best possible education we can give them."

Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb said: "This program will help restore critical funding to school districts throughout the State that have been negatively impacted by the economic crisis."

New York will receive $607,591,394 from the Education Jobs Fund. This federal program will provide $10 billion nationwide to states to create or retain education jobs through September 2012. Funds may be used to pay the salaries of teachers and other employees who provide school-level educational and related services.

A copy of the Education Jobs Fund application to the United States Department of Education and the letter from the legislative leaders is attached.

###

Additional news available at www.ny.gov/governor | High resolution images available at www.ny.gov/governor/mediaimages | password: paterson | New York State | Executive Chamber | press.office@chamber.state.ny.us | 212.681.4640 | 518.474.8418 | Follow us on Facebook and Twitter