American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The ARRA was signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 17, 2009. The act contains $288 billion in tax cuts, $144 billion in revenue sharing to states, and $357 billion in spending in areas such as education, infrastructure, health care, housing, energy, scientific research, and more.

ARRA funds for education are specifically designated to jump-start school reform and improvement efforts, save and create jobs, and stimulate the economy. Nearly $60 million in education stimulus funds have been awarded to ASD through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and through supplements to existing formula grants.

In addition to the requirements and guidelines for each grant, the ASD projects funded by ARRA support at least one of the following ARRA priorities:

• Adopting rigorous college- and career-ready standards and high-quality assessments;
• Establishing data systems and using data for improvement;
• Increasing teacher effectiveness and equitable distribution of effective teachers;
• Turning around the lowest-performing schools; and
• Improving results for all students, including early learning, extended learning time, use of technology, preparation for college, and school modernization.

Learn more about the ASD ARRA projects