School leaders tire in waiting for millions in federal aid

September 14, 2010 9:23 AM

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Neal Morton

The Monitor

Millions of federal dollars slated for Hidalgo County schools remain in limbo after the U.S. Department of Education rejected Texas’ application for its portion of an education aid bill Congress passed last month.

Hoping to cushion their strained budgets, superintendents across the state urged Gov. Rick Perry to quickly resolve the legal hurdles barring their districts from receiving over $830 million in federal aid.

If the state resubmits its application for HR 1586, known as the Education Jobs Bill, Donna’s school district stands to gain more than $6.3 million, according to Texas Education Agency estimates.

With a new high school building nearing completion, Donna Superintendent Roberto F. Loredo said that could do wonders in loosening his tight budget.

“An infusion like that would certainly help us feel comfortable,” Loredo said. “We are very strongly hoping to get that money, but we haven’t prepared plans on how we’d spend it.

“We are just focusing on if we actually get it or not,” he said.

Like Loredo, all Texas superintendents might have to wait a year before getting the much-needed cash.

The Education Jobs Bills includes a Texas-specific provision that requires Gov. Perry to maintain current education spending levels through 2013.

Earlier this month, the state submitted an application for the money but included a condition that a spending guarantee violated the Texas constitution, which Perry claims prevents him from binding future Legislature’s future spending levels.

The department of education rejected the application last week, asking for a condition-less resubmission before it disburses the $830 million.

On Monday, Texas’ two Republican senators, Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, introduced legislation to repeal the education spending mandate. A handful of Congressional Republicans from the state are expected to sponsor a similar bill in the U.S. House later this week.

The state itself has yet to decide how to proceed, but Education Commissioner Robert Scott suggested in a letter to the federal government that Texas may have to wait to reapply until the Legislature approves the 2012-2013 education budget next summer.

With $6.8 million in store for McAllen schools, Superintendent James Ponce said the waiting game has taken a toll on his district.

“It is disappointing because we have needs that these funds could help us alleviate,” Ponce said. “We always have plans to enhance our instructional program. This would certainly go a long way in helping.”

Details remain unclear as to how districts can use the funds when, and if, they are released, but some superintendents floated the idea of saving their millions of dollars in case of future budget crises.

Some districts in states that have already received their education funds have decided to save the extra money for now.

“It would be good to have as a safety net,” said Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Superintendent Daniel P. King, whose district could receive nearly $10 million.

“This delay doesn’t concern me as long as it eventually comes through,” King said. “Our stance would then be to remain very flexible, ready to adjust to whatever economic circumstances present themselves.”

Amounts Hidalgo County school districts could receive under the federal Education Jobs Bill

La Joya $10,968,467.64

Edinburg $10,394,945.76

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo $9,789,097.19

Weslaco $7,358,563.55

McAllen $6,855,282.99

Donna $6,386,459.84

Mission $5,734,446.42

Edcouch-Elsa $2,756,667.77

Mercedes $2,429,385.00

Hidalgo $1,454,384.13

IDEA Public Schools $1,156,534.87