Gov. Beshear along with interim Kentucky Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Noland, submitted Kentucky’s application to the U.S. Department of Education for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The fiscal stabilization portion of Kentucky’s ARRA funding is set to provide support for elementary, secondary and public higher education, as well as additional areas of governmental operation, including public safety. A total of $651 million is available to Kentucky from this fund.
“The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund dollars are a necessary part of addressing the massive budget shortfalls we face over the next couple of years, especially in crucial areas of K-12 and higher education,” Gov. Beshear said. “It is critical that we obtain Kentucky’s full share of the federal stimulus package so we can continue to best manage these trying economic times.”
As part of the application, states commit to continuing progress on four areas of educational reform. These include enhancing teacher effectiveness, improving the collection and use of data in educational settings, enhancing the quality of educational assessments and providing support for struggling schools.
