Congress, President OK School Jobs Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved the $10 billion Education Jobs Fund Amendment. President Obama immediately signed it into law. New Jersey is expected to receive $268 million through the federal legislation, part of the administration’s economic stimulus program.

According to the National School Boards Association, states must award the funds “for the support of elementary and secondary education to retain or create education jobs” for the 2010-11 school year or for both the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.

Prior to the prospect of Congressional approval of the federal funding, an NJSBA survey indicated that over 37 percent of New Jersey school districts anticipated offering employment to some of the non-tenured staff who received layoff notices in May. If the funding becomes available to schools in time for the 2010-2011 school year, that percentage could grow.

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