On the heels of Governor Ritter’s proposed $632 million cut to Colorado’s state budget, U.S. Rep. Jared Polis announced today that under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, school districts in Colorado stand to receive an estimated $415 million to address the severe budget shortfall, create jobs, and improve education across Colorado.
Statewide, Colorado schools would receive an estimated $280 million to help low-income and disabled students and an estimated $135 to repair and modernize their facilities. Under the plan, which Congress is working to approve quickly, school districts in Colorado’s 2nd Congressional district would see an estimated $75 million over two years to help students and fund special education programs and services. Schools would also receive an estimated $29 million to help repair, renovate and modernize their facilities over two years—providing students with technologically updated, energy-efficient, safe, 21st century classrooms to learn in and creating good construction jobs for local workers.
“The economic downturn has left its mark on Colorado’s schools—our school districts are underfunded, and the state is considering cutting back even more,” said Polis. “With this additional help from the federal government, we can help Colorado fend off cuts to the critical area of education. This package will help prevent layoffs and keep Colorado’s teachers where we need them the most—in Colorado’s classrooms.”
Rep. Polis, a member of the House Education and Labor Committee and former Chairman of the Colorado State Board of Education, also highlighted key provisions of the plan that fall under the committee’s jurisdiction, including additional aid to help students and families pay for college, vital job training and support programs to help Americans get back to work and prepare them for the jobs of the future, and an extension of unemployment benefits for out-of-work Americans.
“Restoring the promise of public schools and giving student the opportunity to succeed has been my goal in public office, a goal which we need now more than ever,” said Polis. “As we strive to dig our economy out of this recession, we must ensure everyone—children included—have the tools and support they need to keep America competitive and succeed in the global economy.”
For the draft estimates of aid to Colorado School districts under the proposed stimulus bill, click here.
For the draft estimates of aid to school districts that overlap the 2nd Congressional district under the proposed stimulus bill, click here.
