By Neil H. Simon
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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Richmond schools superintendent Yvonne W. Brandon said she still expects city schools to get between $11 million and $16 million from the nearly $800 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"That's changing all the time," she said in an interview. Brandon said she is waiting to give a spending plan to the school board until she receives word from the federal government.
The administration is still calling states to obtain the latest education data to use in calculating some grants, she said after a joint appearance with Education Secretary Arne Duncan and about 20 other city school superintendents.
Some stimulus funds go directly to school districts, while other money flows through the states. Virginia is to receive an estimated $203.3 million for at-risk students under the package.
Duncan said the competitive grants will go to school systems that commit to significant reforms.
"Perpetuating the status quo is not going to get us where we need to go," said Duncan.. "That will basically eliminate those schools or districts from the competition."
Duncan said schools should extend school days, use weekends and the summer to improve student achievement and graduation rates. He said districts must save teacher jobs to prevent class sizes from ballooning.
The White House is not being overly strict with the education funding in the stimulus, Brandon said, just conscientious, "to put funds directly toward supporting students."
"He's one of us," Brandon said of Duncan, who previously headed Chicago public schools. "He also understands the challenges we are facing." The stimulus money could help fill a $16 million hole in the Richmond budget. That would prevent teacher lay offs and at least one elementary school closure.
(Neil H. Simon can be reached at nsimon@mediageneral.com)
"That's changing all the time," she said in an interview. Brandon said she is waiting to give a spending plan to the school board until she receives word from the federal government.
The administration is still calling states to obtain the latest education data to use in calculating some grants, she said after a joint appearance with Education Secretary Arne Duncan and about 20 other city school superintendents.
Some stimulus funds go directly to school districts, while other money flows through the states. Virginia is to receive an estimated $203.3 million for at-risk students under the package.
Duncan said the competitive grants will go to school systems that commit to significant reforms.
"Perpetuating the status quo is not going to get us where we need to go," said Duncan.. "That will basically eliminate those schools or districts from the competition."
Duncan said schools should extend school days, use weekends and the summer to improve student achievement and graduation rates. He said districts must save teacher jobs to prevent class sizes from ballooning.
The White House is not being overly strict with the education funding in the stimulus, Brandon said, just conscientious, "to put funds directly toward supporting students."
"He's one of us," Brandon said of Duncan, who previously headed Chicago public schools. "He also understands the challenges we are facing." The stimulus money could help fill a $16 million hole in the Richmond budget. That would prevent teacher lay offs and at least one elementary school closure.
(Neil H. Simon can be reached at nsimon@mediageneral.com)