Alaska Education Stimulus
Recovery & Reinvestment Act for education in the state of Alaska
Summary
Alaska will receive educational funds from the American Recovery and Reinvesting Act of 2009 (ARRA), through two principal avenues:
- $185 million will be distributed through the U.S Department of Education.
- $114 million through the State Fiscal Stabilization Funds. Governors can use these funds for what they determine to be "critical services", which can include funds to public colleges and universities and local school districts for financial aid and operating costs. Governors can also direct money from this fund to private colleges and universities to modernize facilities or for other purposes.
Alaska Education Stimulus Breakdown
Higher Education Funds
The educational stimulus package includes a variety of higher education and vocational training funds and grants for Alaska:
- An increase in 2009 Pell Grant funding of $6.1 million over 2008 funds. The 6000 current Pell Grant recipients in Alaska will receive an increase in the average award for the 2009-10 academic year from $3400 to $3,850.
- An additional $170,475 for student financial assistance through grants to institutions to assist in the operation of work-study programs under the Higher Education Act.
- $33 million for Special Education Part B State Grants to help improve educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
- $3.2 million in education technology funds to purchase up-to-date computers and software and provide professional development.
- $41.1 million for Title I Education for the Disadvantaged.
Alaska’s higher education students and institutions may also benefit from following grants and credits funded by the stimulus package:
Community College and Career Training Grants
An institution in Alaska is eligible for only one grant, not to exceed $1,000,000, if it has reached out to employers to identify shortcomings in existing training opportunities in the community.
Teacher Certification and Training
Grants for teacher quality enhancement are available to Alaska schools and eligible partnerships on a competitive basis.
Education and Human Resources
Provides grants for Alaska colleges and universities to attract math and science teachers, and grants to improve math and science in elementary and high schools.
Health Professional Training Program
Provides funding for the National Health Services Corporation. NHSC recruits and trains health professionals to deliver health care in underserved communities in Alaska.
Demonstration Program to Integrate Information Technology into Clinical Education
Provides grants to medical schools and medical related graduate schools in Alaska to carryout demonstration projects and develop academic criteria integrating EHR technology in the education of health professionals.
Education tax credits
The federal education stimulus package also includes the American Opportunity Tax Credit. This modifies the federal higher-education tax credit established in 1997. This benefited middle-income students by offsetting their tax liability. The new credit is “refundable,” so lower-income households in Alaska that have limited or no federal income tax liability can now receive a partial credit in the form of a tax “refund" of up to 40 percent of qualifying expenses for a maximum refund of $1,000. This will potentially benefit 7000 more students in Alaska.
Stimulus Breakdown (2008 vs. 2009)
City Specific Data - Where the money is going
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