Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy
Economists across the board agree that the key to jumpstarting our economy is putting Americans back to work quickly. Earlier this week major U.S. corporations announced another 75,000 in job cuts, adding to the 2.6 million jobs our economy has lost in the last year.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will start rebuilding our economy immediately by creating or saving 3 to 4 million jobs – including hundreds of thousands of jobs in the education sector – and provide workers with the training and skills they need to succeed in green and other emerging industries. In addition to creating jobs in other sectors of our economy, the following education investments will save or boost job growth:
Economists across the board agree that the key to jumpstarting our economy is putting Americans back to work quickly. Earlier this week major U.S. corporations announced another 75,000 in job cuts, adding to the 2.6 million jobs our economy has lost in the last year.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will start rebuilding our economy immediately by creating or saving 3 to 4 million jobs – including hundreds of thousands of jobs in the education sector – and provide workers with the training and skills they need to succeed in green and other emerging industries. In addition to creating jobs in other sectors of our economy, the following education investments will save or boost job growth:
Modernizing our schools and universities – creating green jobs
Investing in early education
Helping states prevent teacher layoffs and other critical public sector jobs
Training workers for 21st century jobs
Creating service and volunteer opportunities to rebuild America
Support for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act…
“School construction projects will generate jobs in the construction industry and among the many suppliers, ranging from architects and engineers to roofing contractors and other workers who design and build our nation’s schools.”
-- Robert Canavan, Chair, Rebuild America’s Schools
“These provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help to alleviate hardship for those most vulnerable, and in so doing, foster economic growth.”
-- Wade Henderson, President and CEO, Leadership Council on Civil Rights
- Invests $20 billion to modernize schools and colleges, including facility repairs, updating technology, and making facilities more energy-efficient. According to estimates, this will create more than 200,000 new jobs in the construction, energy, technology, and other industries.
- Includes $25 million to help charter schools build, obtain and repair schools.
Investing in early education
- Provides $2.1 billion for Head Start, and Early Head Start, which provides comprehensive development services for low-income preschool children, infants and toddlers. These investments will create thousands of new jobs, increasing demand for early educators, transportation and nutrition providers, and more.
Helping states prevent teacher layoffs and other critical public sector jobs
- Provides $79 billion state stabilization fund to help prevent education-related layoffs and restore harmful cuts to education funding, including $25 billion for states and local governments to meet needs in public safety, health and other critical public services.
Training workers for 21st century jobs
- Provides $4 billion to prepare adult and dislocated workers for green jobs, younger Americans and other emerging industries, including training for retrofitting buildings, green construction and production of renewable energy.
- Includes $1.6 billion to create up to one million summer jobs for younger Americans
Creating service and volunteer opportunities to rebuild America
- Creates work study opportunities for an additional 200,000 college students in a field related to either their major or community service.
- Invest $200 million for 16,000 new slots in Americorps which will create more opportunities for more Americans of all generations to serve in their communities.
Support for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act…
“School construction projects will generate jobs in the construction industry and among the many suppliers, ranging from architects and engineers to roofing contractors and other workers who design and build our nation’s schools.”
-- Robert Canavan, Chair, Rebuild America’s Schools
“These provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help to alleviate hardship for those most vulnerable, and in so doing, foster economic growth.”
-- Wade Henderson, President and CEO, Leadership Council on Civil Rights
