More than 250,000 full- and part-time jobs escaped budget cuts nationwide. A more complete accounting will be posted online next week.
By Joe Markman | LA Times - Reporting from Washington
October 20, 2009 -- Some 250,000 education jobs have been saved or created by the economic stimulus package, according to a White House report released Monday.
The news previews what will be a more comprehensive accounting to be posted by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board [comprised of twelve Inspectors General from various federal agencies and Chairman Devaney] on its website next week.
"There is a lot more work to be done, but we applaud those districts that have successfully used stimulus funding to stave off catastrophic layoffs and invest in critical reforms," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a statement. Of the $97.4 billion in education funding included in the stimulus bill, $67.6 billion has been spent.
According to the report, more than 6,000 education jobs in Los Angeles were saved by stimulus funds. New York City was able to retain 4,000 positions, while 7% of the teaching corps in Scottsbluff, Neb. -- 18 people -- kept their jobs.
"It also means that we were able to avert massive class [size] expansion," Melody Barnes, director of President Obama's domestic policy council, said at a news conference.
The 250,000 number includes part-time and full-time positions.
In Las Vegas, where 1,100 teaching jobs have been saved by the stimulus, the local tourism economy has been hit particularly hard -- leading to budget cuts totaling $250 million in the Clarke County School District, spokesman David Roddy said.
"[The stimulus] was a tremendous benefit not only to the district but also to individuals who were facing loss of employment," Supt. Walt Rulffes wrote in a letter to the Nevada Legislature.
Related stories: Around the Web
- Report says stimulus saved education jobs, but deficits loom|washingtonpost.com
- White House says stimulus saving education jobs|reuters.com
- What White House Jobs Report Really Means|npr.org
●●smf muses:
- The Times and the White House need to be a little more clear:
- by "L.A." do they mean LAUSD – the second largest individual school district in the nation?
- ….or L.A. County – the Los Angeles County Office of Education is the largest regional educational agency in the nation – comprising 80 school districts …one of which (the problem child) is LAUSD.
- And as for LAUSD, we seem to have saved jobs AND increased class sizes to among the largest in the nation – and I propose that '"the worst of both worlds" is NOT acceptable compromise!
from whitehouse.gov:
The public is invited to submit written statements to the Advisory Committee by any of the following methods:From Recovery.Org
One of the core missions of the Recovery Board is to prevent fraud, waste, and mismanagement of Recovery funds. Recovery.gov gives you the ability to find Recovery projects in your own neighborhood and if you suspect fraudulent actions related to the project you can report those concerns in several ways:The Recovery Board is committed to helping ensure these funds are spent properly, but we cannot do it without your help. Additionally, the Recovery Act provides protections for certain individuals (whistleblowers) who make specific disclosures about uses of Recovery Act funds. |
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