US Department of Education approves Massachusetts application for stabilization funds

State to begin receiving over $666 million in federal recovery funds

BOSTON - As part of his Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state's economic future, Governor Deval Patrick announced today that Massachusetts will soon begin receiving over $666 million in federal recovery money under the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund program.

"The Commonwealth is well positioned to utilize these funds to ensure that school districts and public colleges are able to continue offering high quality programming," Governor Patrick said. "This money will be used to save teaching positions and maintain access to programming for students across the state and at the same time allow us to continue to pursue our education reform agenda."

U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan informed the state yesterday that this portion is now available for Massachusetts under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Secretary Duncan also announced that Massachusetts will be eligible to apply for another $328 million this fall.

"The $666 million Massachusetts will receive today is part of the single largest boost in education funding in recent history," said Secretary Duncan. "The President's leadership and support from Congress have made this historic investment possible. Massachusetts can now utilize these funds to save jobs and lay the groundwork for a generation of education reform."

Massachusetts Education Secretary Paul Reville noted the advocacy work of Governor Patrick as one of three governors nationwide who were instrumental in ensuring education was a main focus of federal recovery funds.

"It would be difficult to overstate the work of our governor, who successfully convinced federal officials that education is as important to our future vitality as a country as infrastructure projects including roads and bridges," said Secretary Reville. "While much of our focus has been on stabilizing the budget situation in school districts, we must also continue to move our reform agenda forward.

Over the course of the past few months as part of his Massachusetts Recovery Plan, Governor Patrick has announced a total of over $443 million in recovery funding for Massachusetts schools with a focus on support for low income students and special education students as well as the availability of an additional $300 million in low interest college loans.

Education investments are critical components of Governor Patrick's Massachusetts Recovery Plan, which combines state, federal and, where possible, private efforts to provide immediate and long-term relief and position the Commonwealth for recovery in the following ways:

Deliver immediate relief by investing in the road, bridge and rail projects that put people to work today and providing safety net services that sustain people who are especially vulnerable during an economic crisis;
Build a better tomorrow through education and infrastructure investments that strengthen our economic competitiveness, prepare workers for the jobs of the future and support clean energy, broadband and technology projects that cut costs while growing the economy; and
Reform state government by eliminating the pension and ethics loopholes that discredit the work of government and revitalize the transportation networks that have suffered from decades of neglect and inaction.

Over the next two years, Massachusetts will receive an estimated $1.88 billion to support early education, K-12 education and higher education. For more information about what the federal recovery law means for Massachusetts, please visit www.mass.gov/recovery.

The Massachusetts approved application can be viewed on the U.S. Department of Education web site or on the Executive Office of Education web site.