In order for PWC to receive the money PWCS has to apply to the state. In order for Virginia to receive the money the VA DOE has to apply to the US Dept of Education. In order to disburse the money the US Dept of Education has to set the rules for states to qualify to receive the money.

None of that has happened.

The US Dept of Education hasn’t finished drafting the rules states’ have to meet to be eligible to receive the funds. Because the rules haven’t been written, Virginia hasn’t applied to be eligible to receive funds. The deadline for filing is Sept 9, so if Virginia chooses to apply, it will submit its application by Sept 9. Because Virginia hasn’t sent in an application and hasn’t clarified what formula will be used to disburse funds to localities, PWCS has no idea whether it will receive any funds or how much it will receive.

Based on the expectation that Virginia will apply for and be rewarded funds from the US Dept of Ed and that PWCS will be allocated $15 million of those funds, PWCS asked the BOCS to allocate $15 million to it so that it could begin hiring new teachers.

That’s putting the cart waaaaay before the horse and the BOCS, rightly so in my opinion, deferred allocating additional funds to PWCS until the we have a better idea of how much we’ll receive, assuming we receive anything.

It’s a jobs program! Stimulus spending for the NEA!

lilpatriot - you are correct. Ms Peacor’s presentation was clear, concise, and well researched. She addressed open issues and justified the action she supported. If every presentation from PWCS staff was as clear and articulate as hers was, I suspect there wouldn’t be so much conflict between PWCS and the PW BOCS.

Slick move, I’d say the current score is kinda like Mike May - 1; Frank Principi - zip

The FY 2012 budget process is just getting underway, so this is a good time to get informed and involved.

Loudoun has decided to use the funds, assuming they are allocated, to eliminate furloughs. PWCS was able to trim its budget and had no planned furloughs, so that idea doesn’t apply to us. Alexandria is waiting to make any decision. Fairfax is considering extending instruction time, but waiting to see how much will be allocated.

I think the BOCS made the right decision to stop the PWCS from hiring new teachers until we know whether the “estimated” $15 million will allocated and what restrictions will apply to it.

ARRA is a whole different hill of beans.

Oh - and the much bigger fish is the ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) set to go before Congress when they return from vacation. ESEA (also known as NCLB) expired in 2007 and is automatically renewed every year until a new bill is passed. The President posted his “blueprint for reform” in March which outlines the “reforms” he’s hoping to implement in the public schools.

One of the biggest reforms is the imposition of national academic standards and assessments for all subjects studied in K - 12. The current version of ESEA, NCLB, specifically prohibits the US Dept of Education from requiring states to adopt and / or implement national standards, curricula, and assessment in order to receive federal funds for education. Obama’s version of ESEA REQUIRES states to adopt common national standards and assessment to be eligible for federal funds for education.

I can’t help but wonder what our candidates for Congress think about the feds mandating national standards and assessments.

We’re now about 1 1/2 weeks from the start of the school year. Because PWCS was able to make other cuts and find other funds, we didn’t have to lay off any teachers or administrators. Our class sizes are going to go up, and they will be among the highest in the region.

But what will hiring $15 million worth of new teachers for one year get us? Lots of new and inexperienced teachers who have no classrooms and no instructional materials or classroom materials (remember - the money has to be used to hire teachers, not buy trailers or textbooks or desks or chairs). A one year drop in class sizes (remember the money has to be spent this year).

Kinda sounds like a big fat waste of money. We should send it back.

Perhaps he needs to find more solace by quitting his job here, moving to Fairfax County, and hanging with those put Obama bumper stickers on their kids school backpacks.