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Maine receives job-saving education grant
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said funds will help retain teachers and prevent program cuts

June 28, 2010

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that Maine is receiving over $52 million in additional stimulus funds to save teachers’ jobs, prevent program cuts, and save local taxpayers money.

“As our economy continues to struggle, these funds will immediately help our towns by preventing more job cuts and helping stabilizing local budgets,” said Pingree. “But it’s critical that we keep supporting our schools and communities when they need it most. Our students and their future success shouldn’t fall victim to the economic downturn.”

To become eligible for the funding, Maine filed an application that showed how low-performing schools are implementing plans to improve, provided data on teacher and principal evaluations, and demonstrated that local schools provide the right reports on academic progress for teachers to judge how to analyze their curriculum.

The $52 million in State Fiscal Stabilization Fund can be used to help stabilize local and state budgets in order to avoid reductions in teacher positions and programs; to help ensure higher-education organizations retain personnel; to save local taxpayers money by supporting modernization and repair of school and college facilities; and to advance education reforms.

Stimulus funding Maine has already received has been used to save 350 education jobs, support Title I programs for low-income students, incorporate more technology into schools, help train students with disabilities for employment, and more.

“Despite ever tightening budgets and a lack of resources, Maine schools are working very hard so their students can continue to succeed,” said Pingree. “They simply can’t do that work without teachers in the classroom. These funds are a good step to keeping those critical positions, but our communities still need more help.”

The Recovery Act was passed by Congress and signed by the President in 2009.