Ridgewood Schools Receive Almost $100k From Federal Jobs Bill

According to the state, Ridgewood schools will receive close to $100,000 from the federal education jobs bill, which will give the district two years to disperse the funds, aimed in theory at preserving teaching jobs.

Passed by both houses last month, the $10 billion education jobs bill funneled $262 million into New Jersey schools on Monday, with low-performing districts receiving the lion's share of the funding.

The bill aims to reduce the amount of teacher layoffs districts would otherwise have to make as many operate in a climate with little-to-no state aid, escalating costs in teacher salaries and other benefits, along with costly federal and state requirements.

The Ridgewood school district, which laid off close to 60 staff members this past year in an effort to meet their proposed budget, which was defeated, will receive $98,941 from the federal jobs bill. With less staff than last year and , the district would be able to use the federal money for 2010-2011 if they so chose.

But New Jersey Acting Commissioner of Education Rochelle Hendricks said in a letter addressed to school districts on Monday that this should be considered a "one-time-use" and urged districts not to use the budgeted money–which can be spent retroactively from August of 2010 when the bill passed, through September of 2012–on costs relating to the 2010-2011 budget.

While there have been "record levels" of total federal, state and local funding made available to schools in recent years, districts instead should spend it for 2011-2012, "which promises to be challenging," Hendricks said.

Hendricks also encouraged districts to avoid spending decisions "that would significantly grow future-year obligations that could prove to be unsustainable."

While Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein was unable to comment, Board of Education member Laurie Goodman said on her blog that the state hasn't released more details on how the funds should be allocated, "so the Ed Center hasn't made any decisions regarding how we'll use the funds."

Goodman asked readers to be mindful that since it is a one-time allocation, "any position created this year would not be funded next year–without funds coming from elsewhere in the budget."

The district, instead of hiring full-time teachers could use the money on support staff such as aides or ancillary staff to help supplement the teachers. They could also recall or rehire former teachers.

But the district "must use its funds only for compensation and benefits and other expenses," according to the state.