The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) offers an historic opportunity to stimulate the economy, save jobs, and reform our nation’s education system. As leaders of state education systems, state superintendents of education have the responsibility to advance both the short term economic goals of this legislation, and to make decisions on the investment of funds that will strengthen our educational systems, drive reform, and improve the educational opportunities and outcomes for all children.

The Council is working closely with our members to ensure that the intended uses of the funds provided under ARRA facilitate innovation in American education, foster collaborative and collective action, and preserve/create jobs. CCSSO is also working actively with the U.S. Department of Education to represent the needs, interests, and concerns of state education leaders.

Our strategic areas of focus (Standards, Assessment, Accountability; Comprehensive Data Systems; Systems of Educator Development; and Next Generation Learning) are closely aligned to the goals and assurances of ARRA. As our members convene over the coming months, CCSSO will continue to focus on the intersection of our strategic initiatives and the goals of ARRA to determine how states can act collectively to meet the ARRA assurances and improve the educational opportunities and outcomes for all children.

There are many organizations publishing information about ARRA. CCSSO is focusing its efforts on providing updates and information that we deem most pertinent to leaders of state education agencies. Information that is non-confidential and suitable for broader public consumption, will shared on this page and can be accessed directly at http://www.ccsso.org/ARRA.

Additional ARRA Resources and Information

• Smart Options: Investing the Recovery Funds for Student Success
• Secretary Duncan Title I Regulations Letter (April 1, 2009)
• Updated ED ARRA Guidance (April 1, 2009)
• IDEA Guidance
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Letter
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Guidance
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Application
• Title I Guidance
• Vocational Rehabilitation Guidance
• CCSSO Summary of Initial ARRA Guidance (March 7, 2009)
• ED White House Presentation (February 25, 2009)
• ED ARRA State Allocations (February 19, 2009)
• CCSSO Memo on Summary of ARRA (February 18, 2009)
• ED ARRA Statement of Intent (February 18, 2009)
• CCSSO ARRA Timeline
• Initial ED Guidance (March 7, 2009)
• ARRA Guidance Cover Document
• ARRA IDEA Guidance
• ARRA State Fiscal Stability Fund Guidance
• ARRA Title I Guidance

Links to Helpful Websites

• ED's ARRA IDEA Factsheet
• ED's ARRA Independent Living Factsheet
• ED's ARRA Vocational Rehabilitation Recovery Funds Factsheet
• ED's SFSF Website
• General Recovery Website
• U.S. Department of Education Recovery Website
• U.S. GAO