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Governor de
Jongh announced today that the Territory has been awarded more than $35 million in federal stimulus funds to help stabilize the finances of the
V.I. Department of Education.
The $35,323,417 award through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund
(SFSF) program, a key element of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will ensure the Territory can avoid layoffs or salary cuts for thousands of teachers, school administrators and other staff.
The one-time appropriation is part of a $53.6 billion ARRA appropriation approved by Congress to help local school districts. The
V.I. Department of Education accepted $23.6 million on August 6 as reimbursement for salary and fringe benefits already paid. Education officials expect to obtain the remaining $11.8 million by the end of the fiscal year.
Governor de Jongh thanked the
V.I. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget for successfully preparing and submitting the Territory’s application for an SFSF award.
“This stimulus money amounts to valuable breathing room for our school districts. It ensures we will avoid having to make painful decisions concerning the welfare of the people we count on to educate our children,” de Jongh said.
“By stabilizing local government finances, this money averts the possibility of reductions in education, and assures us that our schools can retain the staffing levels necessary to meet our obligation to provide all children in the Virgin Islands with quality educations,” the governor added.
The U.S. Department of Education awards SFSF money to states in exchange for a commitment to advance essential education reforms intended to benefit students from pre-kindergarten to college. The money is intended to increase teacher effectiveness and make sure school districts are adequately staffed with qualified teachers.
The award can also be used to support the modernization, renovation, and repair of school and college facilities.
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