Despite new estimates released Monday on how much money public school districts can expect from the federal stimulus legislation, many, if not all, local administrators at school districts in The T&D Region say there are still more questions than answers.

The figures represent estimated grant amounts for Title 1-A and IDEA Part B funds in each school district in South Carolina. Title 1-A money is used for programs to educate low-income students, while IDEA funds programs used to educate students with disabilities.

South Carolina 6th District Congressman James Clyburn spokesman Hope Derrick says the latest grant numbers from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for South Carolina public school districts are for fiscal 2009 and are in addition to regular appropriations for these programs.

"These numbers were provided by the Congressional Research Service following its analysis of the act," Derrick said. "This is a breakdown of the raw figures in the act. I really don't know when it will all be finalized."

To view the breakdown of funds, click here.

Derrick also pointed out that none of the Title 1 or IDEA funding estimates will be used for school construction. Such funds are included in the State Fiscal Stabilization Funds portion of the act, of which South Carolina's portion will be over $687 million. These funds are to help states prevent cutbacks and layoffs, and create jobs by modernizing schools and colleges.

Monday's analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, released by Clyburn, estimates S.C. school districts will get $300 million, ranging from $384,000 for rural Greenwood to $32 million for Greenville County.

Orangeburg Consolidated School District 4 Finance Director Tom Ashley said it is his best guess that the estimates are for two years, not just one.

"Early on when the stimulus package rolled out, we got an estimate of the allocation by district that was very close to what we have now," Ashley said. "This will all take more filtering and wading through before we get the answers we need. I think the state is still working closely with the federal education folks about getting us the rules and stipulations that will be tied to this money."

Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5 Superintendent Melvin Smoak says he has already scheduled meetings with his Title 1 and curriculum administrators and principals to determine the district's needs for the money.

"We're looking at the data we have now so we will be prepared to put this money where it's needed when it becomes available based on that information," Smoak said. "I hope that these Title 1 and IDEA estimates will be the actual amounts the district will receive. I'm also curious to see whether we will be given more flexibility to use the money or if there will be more stipulations attached to it.

"None of this stimulus money will be used administratively," he said. "I want to get it into the classrooms where the teachers can use it to advance our students."

Bamberg County School District 1 Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting says the state education officials have only spoken of the stimulus money in broad generalities.

"I actually can't say yet what we will be getting," Schwarting said. "Me and several of my administrators looked at the Web cast from the state last Thursday as to how money may flow down. We were not given any instructions that are workable. At the end we were still confused because they don't have any answers. I do think there will be some guidelines for the stimulus money and I anticipate we'll have to write some grants for some of the money and some will be sent straight down. I just don't know which is which yet."

Calhoun County School District Superintendent Ken Westbury says he still wants to know more details about how the stimulus money can be used.

I really don't know how it will impact our district," Westbury said. "We need to know more about the restrictions attached to this money and what we can spend it on. We hope to get more guidance on this from state education officials. It was my initial understanding that school districts were supposed to have the stimulus money within 30-45 days of the legislation's passage.

"All I know is that we will determine the best way we can incorporate the money into our operations when it comes so we can get the most positive impact for our schools," he said.

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com and 803-533-5540. Comment on this and other stories at www.TheTandD.com.

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