The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
What funds are available to New Hampshire, and how can they be spent?

The purpose of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is to save jobs. New Hampshire is to receive $343 million in funds that may be used for education—from Head Start through higher education.

These funds represent increases in federal spending that will apply to Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010, with the possibility of applying some unused funds to FY 2011 budgets. They will be allocated as follows:

$142 million: Funds that flow through existing programs (usually administered by the state Department of Education):

Early Childhood Education

1. Head Start, $3.8 million
2. Child Care & Development Block Grant, $4.6 million
3. IDEA Part C Infants & Families, $2.1 million
4. IDEA Part B Preschool Grants, $1.6 million

Elementary & Secondary Education

1. IDEA Part B Grants to states, $47.5 million
2. ESEA Title I, Part A, $31 million
3. ESEA School Improvement Grants, $8.2 million
4. Educational Technology State Grants, $3.2 million
5. Education for Homeless children & Youths, $0.2 million

Student financial Assistance

1. Federal Pell Grants, 2009-10 Award Year, $16.7 million
2. Federal Pell Grants, 210-2011 Award Year, $19.8 million
3. Federal Work Study, $1.3 million

Rehabilitation Services

1. Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants, $1.9 million
2. Independent Living, $0.3 million

$200 million State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.
Within federal guidelines, this fund is administered largely at the governor's discretion, however:

$164 million (81.8 percent) of this fund must be spent on education.
The remaining $36 million (18.2 percent) can be spent on education but may also be spent on government services.

As funds are released, the U.S. Department of Education will issue guidelines. The National Education Association has a team of researchers and government relations specialists who are tracking the ARRA guidelines as they are issued.  Likewise, NEA-New Hampshire is monitoring the flow of funds into and within our state. The NEA-NH legislative team will hold conversations with government officials and provide guidance to its local associations about the delivery of ARRA funds.

March 20, 2009