County, City to Receive More Federal Money (VA)
September 15, 2010
Pittsylvania County Schools and Danville Public Schools will benefit from additional federal funds made available through the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act.
"We had heard this money might be coming," said Pittsylvania County Schools Superintendent James McDaniel. "Last week we got the breakdown."
Pittsylvania County expects to receive approximately $2.4 million.
Danville should receive approximately $1.8 million.
"The funds are going to be used to support school level educational and related services," said McDaniel.
"One thing it can be used for is to pay salaries of teachers and other employees who provide services to the schools."
The School Board will refer the matter to the budget committee composed of Sammy Burton, Morris Stowe and Todd Sanders.
They are expected to seek information from administrators and department heads on how the money should be spent and bring recommendations back to the board for discussion.
McDaniel said he will recommend that at least $1.8 million be utilized to replace American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Title 1 and special education funds that will expire at the end of the school year. This includes funding salaries of teachers and aides.
"We hope to keep everyone employed," said McDaniel.
The division cut about 50 positions during budget planning for the 2010-2011 year. These were retirees that were not replaced and some jobs vacated by attrition or movement within the system.
"We are a lot leaner system," said McDaniel.
Danville Public Schools superintendent Dr. Sue Davis said the additional money is welcomed.
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The Danville School Board will meet Monday at 7:30 a.m. and she plans to talk about the additional funds at that time.
She expects the money to be spent on teaching positions. The city experienced job losses due to reduction in force, but the division was eventually able (due to retirements and attrition) to place everyone affected by RIF in other jobs.
Congressman Tom Perriello announced Friday that the Fifth District will receive approximately $23.8 million from the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act.
Funds are supposed to support elementary and secondary teachers, school-level staff salaries and related costs.
Money can be used by school districts to recall or rehire former employees, retain existing employees and hire new employees that provide school-level services.
Perriello said the monies were made available by closing tax loopholes that reward companies for sending jobs overseas.
"Investments in education are crucial to rebuilding our area’s competitive advantage as we fight for good jobs and economic recovery in Central and Southside Virginia," said Perriello.
"This money is going to keep teachers in the classroom and prepare students to be competitive in a global economy. It was a fiscally responsible way to provide aid to localities and schools that have been hit hard during this downturn," he added.