A bill that could provide $23 billion in education funding for states was introduced in the Senate Wednesday.
The Keep Our Educators Working Act would prevent the layoffs of teachers, librarians and school personnel in states facing budget shortfalls in education.
In addition, the bill could fund the retention and hiring of new educators or on-the-job training for education-related careers, according to a statement from Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the bill’s sponsor.
The University of California system is still analyzing the bill, but, as of now, the bill is targeted primarily at K-12 education, said Carolyn Henrich, legislative director of education at the UC office of federal government relations.
The $23 billion appropriated from the bill would go to a general fund, part of which would be used to protect educators who would otherwise be laid off. As a result, the impact it would have on the UC system would be limited, since the biggest deficits are on K-12 education, Henrich said. Furthermore, any funding would go toward the creation and retention of education jobs, not programs, she added.
Christopher Harrington, director of the UC Office of the President national media communications, said the office believes this bill will have limited impact on the UC system but will continue to work with Harkin on increased funding for higher education.
California is going through a difficult economic situation, and the bill is designed to help the economy and preserve, protect and create jobs in the education sector, he added.
“This country is about to face a massive wave of layoffs in our schools and institutions of higher learning that could weaken our economic recovery and cause serious damage to our education system,” Harkin said in an online statement.
The $23 billion would compensate for state cuts as the $39.6 billion in education funding in the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, which was passed as part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, runs out.