Schools to get millions in stimulus money
Funding would go to disabled, disadvantaged pupils
The Henry County School System could receive nearly $11 million in federal stimulus funding.
During a specially called meeting today, the State Board of Education is expected to earmark as much as half of the $660 million intended for school districts across the state, including Henry County, according to the Georgia Department of Education's web site.
The funds - provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - will help support programs for students with disabilities, as well as economically-disadvantaged students.
Under the stimulus bill, local school districts will get as much as $324 million in additional Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and pre-school funds, and as much as $336 million in added Title I funds.
About $330 million, roughly half the funds, is expected to be allocated at today's board meeting. Another $330 million is expected to be disbursed in late September or early October.
The stimulus package will also provide a supplement to other statewide programs, including $22 million to education technology grants, and about $900 million in possible "fiscal stabilization" funds for K-12 education, according to school officials.
Henry County Special Education Director Philip Mellor said about 85 to 95 percent of funding from IDEA is used to pay the salaries of teachers, para-professionals, teacher assistants, educational specialists, and some school nurses, who work with students with disabilities.
Some 4,000 students with disabilities are served annually in Henry, where most disabilities are characterized as speech and language impairments, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, mild intellectual disabilities, and emotional and behavioral problems.
School districts receive special education funding from various sources, including local tax dollars and from state and federal grants. Special education is mainly funded, however, through the state's Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula, with supplemental funding coming from IDEA grants.
Henry County is expected to receive a total of $7.5 million in IDEA stimulus funds, according to the state web site, and more than $200,000 for IDEA grants for pre-school students. The school district will also receive an estimated $3 million in Title I funds.
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