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Schools hopeful of stimulus, but with questions

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JANESVILLE — Janesville public school officials say they'll wait with open arms to receive millions of dollars proposed as part of the economic stimulus bill making its way through Congress.

At the same time, they would like to know whether they'll be given the flexibility to spend it in a way that's best for local needs.

"Traditionally, federal government programs have not created great flexibility. They've been very pigeonholed, and it's a cliché to say it, but the devil is in the details on this," Superintendent Tom Evert said this morning.

The House passed its stimulus bill Wednesday, but funding still needs approval in the Senate and from President Obama. A House committee Wednesday released estimates of funding for every school district in the country.

The money would help Janesville with its projected school budget shortfall, but it's too early to say whether it would totally solve the problem, Evert said.

The proposed school funding would come in three categories: Title 1, IDEA and construction.

Title 1 is a program that gives extra attention to the academic needs of students in schools with large low-income populations.

IDEA is the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which funds special education.

Local officials have long complained that the government never lived up to its promise to fund a large portion of special-education costs. In Janesville, federal and state aid doesn't cover the costs of the mandate to provide education for disabled students. The local cost in recent years has been about $9 million a year, business director Doug Bunton said.

The construction money could be put to good use, even though most Janesville school buildings have seen extensive renovations and expansions over the past 15 years.

Bunton said he would replace old boilers at Franklin Middle and Washington Elementary schools. Those projects otherwise would require borrowing money. The need is not immediate, but it would avoid loan costs.

Construction projects would put people to work, Evert noted, and could help the local economy as contractors hire or don't lay off people they need to do the work.

But Bunton said he wonders if the $1.36 million in construction money earmarked for Janesville might be restricted too much. What if replacing aging heating systems is not allowed?

Each school district has different construction needs, Bunton noted, so the more flexibility, the better.

Evert said the same concern about flexibility goes with the Title 1 and IDEA money. If it can be used for salaries and other operational costs, that would go a long way toward easing the local budget crunch.

The money is only for this year and 2010, however, while operational costs continue into the future.

"The theory is, you jump-start the economy by creating a flow of money and hopefully generate an increase in the tax base, get people to work," Evert said. "Improving the district means more people coming to Janesville. I certainly don't have the scope of everything this package is supposed to accomplish, but it would be a big help for two years."

Evert said he would be concerned if the money requires lots of additional reporting and paperwork, which takes up staff time.

"Time is money for us, too," Evert said.

But whatever happens, the schools will welcome the money.

"I'll wait at the front door," Bunton joked.

"Actually, we'll drive out to I-90 to wait," Evert added.