WASHINGTON — With President Barack Obama's signature on the $26 billion stimulus bill for education and Medicaid on Tuesday, Utah stands to nab about $101 million for education for fiscal 2011.
Though that number is just 1 percent of the $10 billion allocated for education funding nationwide, it could save the jobs of 1,400 to 1,500 teachers in Utah, according to state estimates, and up to 1,800 teachers, according to federal estimates.
Both the U.S. House and Senate passed the bill this month, with the House's vote taking place Tuesday afternoon before a copy of the bill was taken up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.
The votes in both houses happened nearly along party lines, with the Democrats supporting the bill as a way to save teacher jobs that were in danger of being lost due to declining local tax revenue.
Democrats on Tuesday said the nation could descend into another deep recession if states don't get help.
But Republicans, who tended to vote against the bill, said education funding is typically a state issue and the federal government doesn't have $26 billion to spend.
The Congressional Budget Office says the measure will add to the federal budget deficit over the next five years but will reduce the deficit over 10 years through cuts to military spending, the federal food stamp program and tax increases to certain corporations.
The Utah State Office of Education would likely distribute the money equally among districts and charter schools by boosting per-student funding approximately $168, said state school Superintendent Larry Shumway.
The Utah State Office of Education did not join others across the country in lobbying for the bill, Shumway said, because "we don't believe the federal government really has $26 billion to spend right now." Nonetheless, he added, "We could absolutely use the money."
If Utah does not apply for its share of the federal stimulus, Shumway said, the $101 million will be divvied out elsewhere.
Despite welcoming 25,000 new students over the past two years, the Utah public school system has taken a $200 million cut. Every school district in the state has had to raise class sizes, Shumway said.
"This funding would allow us to hire back some of those teachers," he said.
Todd Hauber, associate superintendent of business services at the State Office of Education, said the bill wasn't designed in response to Utah's situation.
"You've got some states that are really hurting in education. Instead of losing the teachers, they'd like to hold onto them for another year," he said. "Utah's problem is we've had such enrollment growth. We're not hiring as many teachers as we would if economic times were better. Some districts are cutting back on teachers — yes — but the bigger issue is we can't hire as many teachers as we need."
Utah's four Republicans in Congress voted against the bill.
"This legislation unfairly distributes funding to irresponsible states that have made poor budgetary decisions and short changes states like Utah that have been consistent in the prioritization of spending," said Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah.
But Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, who voted for the bill, said the measure will help Utah children who are about to return to school.
"This keeps 1,800 Utah teachers in their classrooms, rather than sending them on to the unemployment line," Matheson said. "The legislation is paid for, and it does not add to the deficit."
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