Linda Embrey, Communications Office
703-838-6737; lembrey@nsba.org

Statement of 

Anne L. Bryant
Executive Director, National School Boards Association

on the 

Passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009

Alexandria, Va. – February 16 – The National School Boards Association applauds the Senate and House of Representatives on their efforts in passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA) of 2009.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is crucial to helping our school districts maintain high-quality education services and sustain thousands of jobs for teachers and personnel. It will also provide the resources to create thousands of jobs and contracting opportunities for school modernization. The country’s 95,000 local school board members are committed to taking responsibility for the management of these funds in their local districts.

We feel that the legislation is both timely and targeted, proposing investments in key education programs that face unprecedented budget shortfalls impacting the level of education services. The bill’s provisions for temporary state stabilization funding are critical to easing state and local budget cuts to education at a time when more than forty states are facing a combined shortfall of approximately $350 billion.

NSBA surveyed local school board members and our state association leaders, and they told us quite clearly that this funding is critical to the future of not only our schools and communities through job retention and creation, but it is funding our future – the education of our young people to be the leaders in our society.  Getting the stimulus funding into the hands of our school districts is essential to their continued success.

We are pleased that the stimulus funds will reach local school districts, allowing them to retain teachers and school staff, preventing layoffs, and in many communities where school districts are the largest employer, provide economic stability. This bill is a lifeline and a life saver to school districts that will help to keep Title I and IDEA working for the students who need assistance the most. NSBA applauds Congress for sending the message that they understand that education is a driver for short- and long-term economic stability.

Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association is a not-for-profit federation of state associations of school boards representing 95,000 local school board members throughout the United States. Its mission is to foster excellence and equity in public elementary and secondary education through local school board leadership. NSBA represents the school board perspective in working with federal government agencies and national organizations that impact education, and provides vital information and services to state associations of school boards throughout the nation. 

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