Senator Brown on Ohio Education Funds

Senator Sherrod Brown Announces More Than $1 Billion in Education Funding for Ohio; Funding to Save Jobs, Promote Long-Term Education Reform

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that more than $1 billion in funds is available from the U.S. Department of Education to save jobs and drive reform at schools across Ohio. The funds are available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“Investing in Ohio’s education system is about ensuring the long-term success of our students and the economic competitiveness of our state,” Brown said. “This funding will help attract and retain high-quality teachers in Ohio.”

In addition to saving jobs at schools, the funding is expected to promote educational reform and provide needed resources to Ohio's colleges and universities. To receive the funding, state officials must evaluate and enact measures to address the quality of classroom teachers, student improvements, college preparedness, standardized tests, and measures to improve underperforming schools.

Before this announcement, Ohio had received $432 million in education funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Ohio will be eligible to apply for another $590 million this fall.

Brown has been a leading advocate in Congress for education funding. In March, the senator helped secured more than $1 million in funding to support Ohio’s education system under the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009.

Source: Senator Sherrod Brown