MONEY FOR CALIF. SCHOOLS LIKELY TO BE DELAYED

ABC7 Eyewitness News HD covering Los Angeles and Southern California

Monday, August 16, 2010 -- SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KABC) -- California schools are slated to get $1.2 billion in aid thanks to the new federal jobs bill, but there's a snag.

Last week, President Barack Obama signed the $26 billion package that is designed to protect the jobs of 300,000 teachers, police and others. The money would save or create as many as 16,500 education jobs in California.

The federal funding will also help cash-strapped states meet their Medicaid payments for six months.

However, the state still does not have a budget even though the fiscal year began on July 1. Without a budget, there is not a concrete way for officials to figure out how this money will be distributed.

California is expected to receive the extra money by late August or early September. School districts will then have two years to spend it.

In March, 26,000 teachers received lay-off notices. An estimated 14,000 of those teachers have not been rehired.

AP contributed to this report.