Last evening, Governor de Jongh heralded the announcement from Washington, D.C. that more than $47.5 million in State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF) were approved for the Virgin Islands.

“The monies represent the first phase of SFSF funds for the territory and will assist us in maintaining education services, keeping teachers in the classrooms and at the same time, preventing the cutting of valuable education programs,” de Jongh said, noting that the award of the monies today caps a lengthy process that has included face-to-face meetings with Education Secretary Arne Duncan in 2009.

According to de Jongh, the funding comes a time when the territory continues to grapple with a budget revenue shortfall:

“This provides the resources to assist in making the necessary improvements to our education system that we have identified during repeated discussions with White House officials and with leaders at the U.S. Departments of Interior and Education.”

A condition of the federal stimulus monies requires the V.I. government to meet certain goals and objectives including: enhancing the qualifications and effectiveness of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools; establishment of a data system in compliance with the federal America COMPETES Act; improve the quality of academic standards and assessments as well as implement enhanced standards and assessments; modernize, renovate, and repair public educational facilities that are used primarily for classroom instruction; strengthen technology infrastructure of public elementary and secondary schools, public institutions of higher education and government agencies and establishment or completion of the implementation of a credible financial management system. 

The award of SFSF funding brings the total to more than $56.4 million, the territory has received in education stimulus funds. Other components funded from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act include: IDEA funding, school improvement grants, education technology grants, Pell grants and work study funding.

The Governor said the Virgin Islands will receive the State Stabilization funds under two components: The Education Stabilization Fund and the Government Services Fund. The Department of Education will award 81.8 percent of the total monies under the Education Stabilization Fund and the remaining 18.2 percent under the Government Services Fund. 

“I view the awarding of these federal stimulus dollars for the Virgin Islands as an unprecedented opportunity for us as a government to undertake comprehensive educational and fiscal reforms that will result in better programs and improved educational outcomes for our children. There are several categories in which the territory will benefit," the Governor said

The lion’s share of the funding will total $9.4 million in Title I monies, $1.1 million in Education Technology State grants and almost $353,000 under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 

“Title I monies are used for schools that have a high concentration of students from families who live in poverty. The monies are to be used specifically for the improvement of teaching and learning for students that are most at risk of failing to meet academic standards," he said.