Education Week is hosting a webinar on the economic stimulus program on March 10th at 1:00 p.m. ET. To register for the webinar visit https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=134093&sessionid=1&key=5391CF710026E8CEB2E0686BDAEFCA05&sourcepage=register.As noted at the website the webinar will address the following questions. "What will President Obama's stimulus package mean for K-12 budgets? How can you make best use of federal dollars to protect instruction and extend achievement amid cutbacks at the state and local levels?"Art Gross 

The recent Webinar on the impact of the economic stimulus package on education given by Joe Conaty, Acting Assistant Secretary, U.S. ED, can be accessed at the Teachscape website.

The link to the webinar is in the middle of the page at the Teachscape website.

The U.S. Department of Education plans to release some stimulus funds to the states within the next 30-45 days. To learn more read the ED news release.

The U.S. Department of Education has published a schedule for releasing stimulus funds to the states. Click on schedule to view the document.

The U.S Department of Education has released the following documents related to the use of the stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

State Fiscal Stabilization Fund

Letter (4/1/09): http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/2009-394-cover.pdf

Guidance: (4/1/09): http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/guidance.pdf

Title I, Part A Guidance (4/1/09): http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/title-i.pdf

IDEA, Part B Guidance (4/1/09): http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/idea-b.pdf

IDEA, Part C Guidance: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/idea-c.pdf

Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants

Fact Sheet (4/1/09): http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/vr.html

Guidance: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/vr.pdf

Independent Living Services

Fact Sheet (4/1/09): http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/ils.html

Guidance: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/ils.pdf

"Smart Options: Investing the Recovery Funds for Student Success" a report sponsored by the Eli and Edythe Broad and Bill and Melinda Gates foundations outlines ways to spend education designated ARRA funds.

The report addresses five priority areas.

"Priority 1: Develop Common American Standards
Priority 2: Provide Data and Information that Educators, Policymakers, and Parents Can Use
Priority 3: Conduct Meaningful Teacher Evaluations
Priority 4: Turn Around Low-Performing Schools
Priority 5: Help Struggling Students"

To read the document click on report.

The U.S. Department of Education's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 website now provides links to helpful ED and ED-funded publications. To access the site, click on ED-ARRA.

The publications address the "Effective Use of Data," "Improving Teacher Quality," and "Turning Around Low Performing Schools."

The following ED site provides access to each state's applications for initial funding under the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program.

To view the applications click on, State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program.

On July 27th The U.S. Department of Education conducted a webinar outlining more than $9 billion in new initiatives for states and school districts, including the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top" Fund.

To access supporting documents click on ED Webinar.

Click on Federal Register to notices on the  Race to the Top Fund; State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program; Institute of Education Sciences; Overview Information; Grant Program for Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems; and Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Dutko Worldwide has prepared the a summary of the Race to The Top guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education.

To view the summary click on Race to the Top.

As noted at its website, Dutko Worldwide is an advocacy consulting organization.