WASHINGTON—Sen. Michael Bennet said Wednesday Colorado schools will get as much as $900 million in extra education aid through the federal economic stimulus law—enough to save the jobs of thousands of teachers.
Bennet, a Democrat and a former Denver public schools superintendent, told reporters the first transfer of funds to the state for K-through-12 districts will happen in 30 to 45 days.
He said $760 million of that is meant to help prevent severe layoffs and other cuts that many districts are facing due to the economic downturn.
“Our kids can’t afford to lose their teachers just because our economy has hit this terrible ditch,” Bennet said.
For school districts maybe facing the most serious reductions in revenues, Bennet said, “the stimulus money won’t mitigate every single layoff … but it will have an enormous effect statewide at diminishing what would otherwise have been very severe layoffs.”
Another $110 million is available for programs to help disadvantaged students improve their reading and math skills, he said.
Bennet also praised President Barack Obama’s education speech Tuesday, in which he called for tying teachers’ pay to student performance and expanding innovative charter schools Tuesday, embracing ideas that have provoked hostility from members of teachers unions. The president also suggested longer school days—and years—to help American children compete in the world.
“I think we heard for the first time in our country’s history a very strong call for transformational reform,” said Bennet, who introduced a pay-for-performance plan for teachers in Denver schools while superintendent.
