Oklahoma school districts receive notice of federal jobs funds
Oklahoma school districts Tuesday learned how much money they will receive from the federal Education Jobs Act enacted in August. Many will spend the money to pay existing teachers.
Oklahoma school districts will share $116 million allotted from the federal Education Jobs Act enacted in August, the state Education Department announced Tuesday.
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AT A GLANCE
Formula
for funding
Schools received allocations based on the state's school funding formula statute. Primary factors in the formula, according to the state Education Department, are weighted enrollment and local funding of schools. Weights are given to students in the formula for such things as grade level, disability, etc. The Education Jobs Act requires states to distribute funds to districts either by using their student funding formulas or their Title I formulas. Oklahoma opted for the former because it is how state aid is distributed and how the state distributed its share of the stimulus stabilization funds the past two years, said state Education Department spokeswoman Shelly Hickman. Other districts:
• Tulsa: More than $7.6 million.
• Broken Arrow: More than $2.7 million.
• Union: More than $2.6 million.
• Midwest City-Del City: More than $2.5 million.
• Norman: More than $2.5 million.
• Lawton: More than $2.9 million.
• Mustang: More than $1.4 million.
• Enid: Almost $1.3 million.
• Yukon: More than $1.1 million
Another $3 million will be used by the state agency for administration and accounting costs.
Oklahoma City Public Schoolswill receive more than $7.1 million.
"Oklahoma City Public Schools will use the allocation to build the district fund balance to help offset expected losses in federal fundsfor the 2011-2012 school year,"spokeswoman Tierney Cook said in an e-mail.
Districts can use the money to pay teacher and support staff salaries and benefits. Money cannot be spent on equipment, technology or other materials. Federal law allows school districts the flexibility of spending all, some or none of the funds this fiscal year. All funds must be spent by school districts by Sept. 30, 2012, according to the Education Department.
Moore Public Schools will receive more than $3.7 million.
Superintendent Susan Pierce said the money will mean a lot to the district, but administrators aren't sure yet how it will be spent.
"One need is the revenue shortfall and the result it's had on our district reserve amount," Pierce said. "It took quite a hit this year, and it's scheduled to take another hit next year.
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