Schools spend, seek federal stimulus funds

Since February, Orange County Public Schools have received more than $2.4 million in stimulus funds and more may be on the way.
The stimulus funds, which are granted to the school division as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), are separated into three sections, each with its own special requirements regarding usage. Since the ARRA was signed into law in February, Orange County Public Schools have received $1.6 million in state fiscal stabilization funds (SFSF), $172,185 in Title I funds, $16,742 in Title II-D funds and $572,636 in Title VI-B and pre-school funds.
The actual rules regarding the usage of the funds is fairly complicated and constantly revised. The basics are that SFSF funds can be used for modernization, renovation, repair or new construction on public school facilities as well as any activity authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act including Impact Aid, Individuals with Disabilities Act, Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and Adult Education and Family Literacy Act. However, the funds, as well as all the other funds, cannot be used to supplant or rather to pay for something that would have been purchased within the regular budget.
Title I funds can only be used in Title I schools, which are schools with a significant high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. In Orange County, this means Gordon-Barbour, Lightfoot, Orange and Unionville Elementary Schools. Title II-D funds can be used for educational technology. Title VI-B funds can be used to provide assistance with the excess costs of educating children with disabilities.
To minimize confusion, each department director within the school division studied the section of the ARRA which pertained to them. They then came up with an itemized list, based on importance, of ways to spend the funds. That list was then whittled down into a concise list of possible stimulus-funded projects and if they could be funded by this phase of stimulus funding or a future phase. The first phase of stimulus funds must be spent by Sept. 30, 2011.
"We came up with a list of different projects per phase," Orange County Public School Financial Director Barbara Hill said. "It's basically a wish list for spending."
According to Hill, many of the projects on the list were ones included in the capital improvement projects list.
"Quite a number of the projects were on the capital improvement projects list which is basically a list of needs over $10,000 each," she said. "Some are other needs."
Seventy-two projects are on the list to be possibly funded by stimulus funds. They include roof replacements, the upgrade of a GPS system for the school buses and the purchase of new technology such as laptop labs and equipment for video conferencing between buildings. Some projects, such as restroom upgrades at Orange Elementary School and the installation of new kitchen equipment in several of the schools have been completed using the stimulus funds.
"Thanks to the [stimulus funds] we have been able to complete [or start] several projects," Hill said.
Some additional projects, such as roof replacements at Orange County High School and Orange Elementary School have been held over for a second phase of stimulus funding. According to Hill, the exact amount of stimulus funds the division will receive in the second phase is not known.
"We hope to have a better idea as to an amount when the governor releases his proposed budget," she said.
The proposed budget may be announced as early as January. The Orange County School Board is currently in the process of creating their fiscal year 2010 budget. They will present the budget to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in February for approval.