FY 2016 Appropriation

The Education Jobs Fund - WPU Distribution represents the state's allocation of federal stimulus funding for public education in FY 2011. The federal government provided a one-time amount of $10 billion to all states for use in K-12 public schools. Utah's share of this funding was $101.3 million.

Funds were intended to support school-level education jobs during the 2010-11 school year, but could carry funds into the 2011-12 school year as well. States received funding on a formula basis, with 61 percent based on student age population and 39 percent based on total state population.

Federal guidance restricted the use of funding to school-level compensation, benefits, and other expenses necessary to hire or retain existing employees. All school-based employment categories qualified, including, teachers, principals, counselors, aides, psychologists, social workers, bus drivers, food service, etc.

School districts and charter schools could not use funds for general administrative expenses or for other support service expenditures.

Funding History
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $0 from all sources for Education Jobs Fund - WPU Distribution. This is a 0 percent change from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources.

Statute

Funds were authorized by the federal government through House Resolution 1586.

Under the federal law, funds can be distributed to school districts and charter schools using one of two methods. First, using the state's "primary funding formula" - which, in Utah, is a distribution through the Minimum School Program based on Weighted Pupil Units. Second, using a district or charter schools' relative share of federal Title I funding.

Utah opted to use the state's "primary funding formula" to distribute funding. This program was created to accomplish this task by appropriating the funding through the Minimum School Program and requiring the distribution of funding through Weighted Pupil Units.

Intent Language

HB0002: Item 2

The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education review the Pupil Transportation Allocation Formula and recommend ways to improve the formula to increase efficiency, simplify allocation methodology to school districts, and provide incentives for alternative transportation methods. The Legislature further intends that the State Board of Education report its recommendations to the Education Interim Committee and the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee by October 31, 2015.

HB0002: Item 2

The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education and State Board of Regents provide joint recommendations on how to ensure that each concurrent enrollment course is taught by a qualified instructor, that credits earned by students count towards major and minor degree requirements at state colleges and universities, and that students are advised on the transferability of credits to private and out of state institutions. The Legislature also intends that these recommendations be reported to the Education Interim Committee and the Public Education Appropriations Committee by October 31, 2015.

Utah's allocation under the Edu-Jobs program was $101.3 million. The Legislature appropriated $101,004,000 to the Education Jobs Fund - WPU Distribution program for allocation to school districts and charter schools. The remaining amount was appropriated to the Utah State Office of Education to fulfill the reporting requirements associated with the federal legislation.

The $81,128,300 in the table reflects the amount of the total allocation used by school districts and charter schools in FY 2011. In FY 2012, LEAs were authorized to use the remaining $21,371,000 originally allocated to the state through the Education Jobs Fund. LEAs report spending $18,375,800.

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.