The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Investing in Excellent Teachers (Updated 2.12.09)
Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy
As we work to rebuild our economy and move our country forward, teachers will play a critical role in preparing our students to compete globally. It’s time to treat teachers like the professionals they are by rewarding them for their talent and hard work and providing them with opportunities for professional development and growth.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help retain and cultivate excellent teachers by saving and creating new jobs and providing teachers with the support they deserve. The legislation will:
Reward teacher excellence
- Provides $200 million in funding for school districts that want to reward educators for outstanding performance or for taking on additional responsibilities and leadership roles.
Train and recruit outstanding teachers for classrooms that need them most
- Invests $100 million to address teacher shortages and modernize the teaching workforce;
- Provides training for new teachers to help them improve overall student achievement;
- Enhances professional development activities for new teachers;
- Strengthens teacher recruitment and training efforts for prospective teachers;
- Improves the preparation of general education teacher candidates in order to more effectively teach students with disabilities.
Prevent teacher layoffs
- Allows the State Stabilization Fund, IDEA, and Title I investments to be used to help states keep teachers on staff.