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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. James E. Casorio, Jr. |
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Jeannette City School District receiving more than $1.5 million in ARRA funds
HARRISBURG, Jan. 25 – The Jeannette City School District will be able to preserve and improve educational programs for students thanks to an investment of more than $1.5 million in federal stimulus finding, state Rep. James E. Casorio Jr., D-Westmoreland, said today.
In its latest report to Pennsylvania residents, the state said more than $1.527 million in federal funding is being provided to the Jeannette City School District through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, known as the economic stimulus package.
The funding includes more than $617,000 targeted toward efforts to support the district's special education programs and to serve its low-income students. Another $923,000 in federal funding will support basic education funding in the district.
"The federal support is making it possible for Pennsylvania to increase its funding for local school districts by hundreds of thousands of dollars," Casorio said. "Jeannette's share of that basic education funding increase is more than $400,000."
Casorio said Pennsylvania is expected to eventually receive as much as $2.5 billion in education funding through ARRA.
"That money will help individual school districts, intermediate units, State System universities and a variety of other educational programs," he said. "Maintaining and improving Pennsylvania's educational offerings and achievement – at every level from elementary to post secondary and in every community in the state – is going to be a key component of a successful recovery from this recession.
"When jobs come back, they will be flowing into states and communities where children and adults are well-educated, able to adapt and have the skills that companies are demanding. Continued financial support for education efforts in Jeannette will help ensure it is one of those communities."
Casorio said ARRA will eventually provide more than $26 billion in federal funding to Pennsylvania across many areas, including transportation, health care, public safety and economic development, as well as education.
The funding will help create jobs, maintain programs and services, and ensure that Pennsylvania's infrastructure and residents are prepared for new growth, he said.
Residents can view how ARRA money is being used in Pennsylvania, including in their own communities, by visiting www.recovery.pa.gov.