I’m on the hook for dinner and a movie since I lost a bet over how long it would take Wake County school board members to start a pity party about federal “stimulus” money. I bet on Labor Day but my wise friend banked on August. From today’s News and Observer: (emphasis is mine)
The state substituted $35 million of its funding to Wake with federal stimulus money.
Wake will also directly receive $45 million in federal stimulus money over the next two years, with much of it going toward programs benefitting special-education students and high-poverty schools. For instance, Wake has hired math coaches to work with teachers at high-poverty elementary schools and is adding pre-kindergarten classes.
Gov. Beverly Perdue has urged school districts to use the stimulus money to save teacher jobs. She’s requiring school districts to tell her how they’re spending the federal dollars.
But Wake school officials are cautioning against relying too much on stimulus money that is guaranteed only for two years.
“How can we maintain something that might not be around in two years?” said school board member Eleanor Goettee.
I think we’ve just been treated to the election rallying cry from the we-need-more-money contingent.
