Federal funds may help school budgets

A new surge of federal stimulus money will soon trickle down to local school systems — but area superintendents are skeptical about spending the cash.

President Obama signed the $10 billion federal Ed Jobs program into law in early August to save or create education jobs for the 2010-2011 school year. Georgia is getting $322.3 million from the program.

Of that, the Jackson County School System will get $1.4 million, Jefferson City Schools will receive $511,500 and Commerce City Schools will get $305,980.

But the possibility of additional state cuts during the school year offsetting the new infusion of federal money leaves area superintendents cautious.

John Jackson, superintendent of the Jefferson City School System, said he’s certain the district will get the additional $511,500 in federal cash.

What he isn’t certain is what funds — if any — state officials will trim from local school systems.

“What we don’t know is what state revenues are going to do over the next several months or next year,” he said. “And we don’t know what the state budget is going to wind up looking like in terms of any budget cuts to the current fiscal year or what reductions might be in the works for the fiscal year in 2012.”

Jackson County School System superintendent Shannon Adams is also concerned that more state education cuts are slated for the school year.

“We have to continue to be conservative,” he said. “We’re not in a position yet — even though we’re out of a deficit — to throw any money around just because we have it. We have to continue to be very, very frugal in our financial moves.”

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