Gov. Doyle: Welcomes students back to school, highlights importance of education jobs funding

Contact: Laura Smith, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today welcomed students back to school and thanked teachers for their service. The Governor also highlighted the importance of Wisconsin receiving more than $179 million through the federal Educations Jobs Fund to save and create education jobs. Madison public schools are receiving $8,377,542 of that funding.

“As students return for a new school year, this funding will help ensure that our students have additional good, quality teachers in their classrooms,” Governor Doyle said. “The education we provide now will be the strength of our state and nation for decades to come. I want to thank President Obama and Congress for making sure our schools are taken care of during this critical time.”

During his visit to Mendota Elementary School today, the Governor met with Madison Superintendent Dan Nerad; Principal Carlettra Stanford; fourth- and fifth-grade teachers Nicole Kenyatta and Linda Bernhardt; and second- and third-grade teachers Sita Powell and Nichole Thornton.

The Education Jobs Fund was passed by Congress on August 10, 2010 and aims to quickly disburse a total of $10 billion to local school districts across the country, many of which have been deeply impacted by the recession. The funds are to be used to retain, rehire and add new instructional employees. These funds will allow Wisconsin school districts that have laid off employees to hire them back and districts are being encouraged to use the funds without delay.

In addition to the funding from the Education Jobs Fund, last year Wisconsin received over $1 billion for education from the Recovery Act because of the Governor’s leadership. Without the Recovery Act funds, Wisconsin schools would have had to make 15 to 20 percent cuts to their budgets – devastating schools across the state.

Governor Doyle has been a national leader in developing strategies to ensure that education does not deteriorate during the Great Recession. Governor Doyle has worked with the White House, House and Senate leadership, key Administration officials and fellow Governors to minimize the effect that the national recession has on Wisconsin schools and other local services, like public safety and health care.

Since taking office in 2003, Governor Doyle has taken major steps to improve education in Wisconsin. In his first term, the Governor protected schools from a Republican-led State Legislature’s attempt to slash education funding by $400 million – a cut that would have devastated our schools and our students. The Governor increased funding for small class sizes, increased funding for special education, expanded school breakfast programs, expanded 4-year old kindergarten programs and invested in early childhood education. Governor Doyle also created the Wisconsin Covenant, a pathway to higher education for every hardworking Wisconsin student.