NJ Application for $268M School Funding gets Approval (NJ)

September 14, 2010

The U.S. Department of Education has approved New Jersey’s application for $268 million in emergency jobs funding designed to minimize layoffs of teachers and other public workers, according to U.S. Rep. Rush Holt’s office.

Gov. Chris Christie’s administration applied for the funds last week. There wasn’t much drama to the announcement, as the money was earmarked for the state regardless of whether the state applied and got more sway over its distribution.

The Christie administration is using its regular school funding formula to distribute the funds.

District-level or county-level details about the funding, and how many jobs might be restored, have not been announced by the state. Federal officials have estimated that 3,900 education jobs might be funded through the aid.

The federal legislation included $10 billion to support education jobs, distributed to states by a formula based on population figures. The funding was allocated to minimize job cuts as stimulus funding dries up.

"I’m pleased this funding has been approved and will get to our schools immediately,” said Holt, D-Hopewell. "Our children should be given every opportunity to receive an excellent education, and that means they should benefit from smaller class sizes and good teachers.”