The Echo

Sec. of Education Dr. Lillian Lowery hosted a public forum at Glasgow High School on Monday to discuss the Markell/Denn Education Reform Legislation.

Dr. Lowerly also paused to answer questions on Stimulus Funding:

1) States receiving Stim Funds must have shown a "Maintenance of Effort" to finance education. Basically they must have maintained the level of funding provided in the fiscal year 2006. Delaware has shown the effort and we have the green light.

2) Funds will come down to the districts earmarked for specific uses, such as Title I funds or IDEA funds. Districts can then appropriate those monies into areas of need specific to that "bucket."

3) Gov. Stabilization Funds are another type of stim funding. Access to these funds is based upon the Gov. Recommended Budget. The Jury is still out on these funds.

4) WHEN will the funds hit the districts? Possibly July. Dr. Lowery states that her folks know how much is coming into Delaware. Her office is holding off on dispersement of funds until the new fiscal budget is passed in Dover as districts may not receive all the funding they have requested. By waitings to disperse stim monies, districts can better plan for how those funds will be used.

5) In order to receive the funds, districts must present a stim funding budget to DOE for approval. Dr. Lowery states that her department is not nitpicking these budgets.

6) Important Note: Superintendents are being asked to give back some Stim Funding for the technology hardware cost of implementing the new statewide testing model.

7) All funds must be spent in two years!

It's a one-time gift, so get it right the first time!