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PSS: Guidelines for stabilization funds for insular areas not final yet
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Posted on May 26 2009
The Public School System’s “true” share in President Obama’s $750 billion stimulus money has yet to be finalized pending formal notification from either the U.S. Department of Education or the Office of Insular Affairs.
“It’s not been decided yet…because both OIA and USDOE are still in consultation,” according to Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan yesterday.
Based on the law’s formula, an estimated $268 million would go to insular areas, with appropriations based on the student populations of Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the CNMI.
Sablan said that PSS is also aware of some issues about the stimulus funding, including the governors’ proposal to transfer the expenditure authority to OIA from USDOE and the proposed “equal” sharing of all insular areas. The law designates the USDOE as the fund’s expenditure authority, in consultation with OIA.
“All these have yet to be completed and we have yet to receive formal notification as to the update and changes in the law,” she said.
The PSS official is hoping the stimulus money would be issued in time for the schools’ preparation for the new school year in September.
The stabilization fund is expected to address the decades-old problems in public schools such as overcrowding due to lack of facility, high student-to-teacher ratio as a result of teacher shortage, and safety concerns in many public campuses due to meager appropriation from the local government.
At present, PSS is allocated $34.6 million spread out across 20 public schools and nearly 11,000 students on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The appropriation includes the $2 million Compact Impact money from the federal government.
When asked to comment about insular areas getting equal shares of the $268 million money, the commissioner said she’s also mindful of the needs of other students in neighboring islands and regions.
“Yes, the more the better…but we must also very mindful of the needs of other students in other insular areas,” she said.
She said PSS hopes for a “positive” update on the stimulus issue next month.
“In June, surely we will have better idea [about the stimulus money for PSS],” she said.
