Providence schools getting $26M in stimulus money
4:19 PM Thu, May 21, 2009 | Permalink
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Providence public schools are getting $26 million in federal stimulus money, but Supt. Tom Brady says that while the money is welcome, it will not close next year's $14-million budget gap. The money is part of $43 million in federal stimulus money specifically set aside for two programs that help low-income children and special-needs students. The funds are part of President Obama's $787-billion federal stimulus package, which is intended to protect public education from the worst of the recession. The district is getting $18 million in Title I funds for disadvantaged students and $8 million in money for special-needs students. Brady said the district will use the Title I to finish developing a uniform math and science curricula, which will be rolled out this fall in all grades. The district hired the Dana Center at the University of Texas, Austin, to develop the program in collaboration with local math and science teachers. Currently, the district's math and science courses are fragmented. In high school, for example, two-thirds of the 321 courses lack a curriculum guide, and some schools are still offering a general math course that does not prepare students for college-level work. Brady said that the money will also allow the district to create a new English and social studies curricula, which will be introduced the following school year. The federal money will pay for teacher training in the new curricula, parent outreach and maintaining Reading First coaches. The grant money for the reading coaches is about to run out. "This is big news for the district and the kids," Brady said yesterday. "Without the $26 million, the very important work on a core curriculum would be very much in jeopardy because we wouldn't have the money to continue the work." But Brady stressed that this money cannot be used to fill in the district's estimated $14-million budget shortfall in the 2009-2010 budget. "The rules for the use of these title funds are very clear," he said. "The intent is not to use the money for basic operational functions. We can't take this money and say, '$12 million of the deficit is gone.' " The district will apply for additional funds from the U.S. Secretary of Education that has been set aside for three separate programs: collaborations between states and districts; innovation; and projects between districts and nonprofit groups. Providence is also due to receive about $10 million in federal stabilization money. However, since the state has already cut that much in state aid, the stabilization money can't be used to close the budget shortfall. As Brady said, "We're not out of the woods yet." 
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The funny part is that they call this stimulus. What economic growth does this help? Don't urinate on my leg and tell me it's raining.
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