Washington, DC - Michigan schools will have new tools to follow student progress, thanks to an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant announced by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today.  State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) grants support the development and implementation of data systems to enable States to examine student progress from early childhood into career, including matching teachers to students, while protecting student privacy and confidentiality consistent with applicable privacy protection laws.  Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) has worked aggressively to bring ARRA funding to Michigan to help the State’s schools.  He said today that this grant will provide much needed help for the State’s schools and teachers to determine what teaching methods are successful.

“We are attracting manufacturers of green, 21st century technology to Michigan, but our ability to keep those companies in our state depends on our ability to produce a new generation of workers as talented as the ones we have now,” Dingell said. “We know that our universities attract some of the most talented young people in the country.  Our K-12 schools can be the same kind of draw to young families.  SLDS grants, like the one announced today, provide immediate help to the students in schools now and will create systematic improvements that will help the students to come.  I applaud the work by Secretary Duncan and the Education Department.  Many Michigan students will benefit from their work today.”

The ARRA included nearly $100 billion for public school systems.  Those funds have helped create and retain more than 300,000 education-related jobs, including positions for teachers, nurses, bus drivers and custodians.  Those funds have helped states like Michigan forced to consider slashing school budgets in the face of massive budget crises.  Unfortunately, the funding provided by ARRA is running out, which has forced many school districts to lay off critical school personnel like teachers.  Congressman Dingell is one of 76 Members who have asked Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI07) to include $23 billion, supporting 250,000 education jobs, in the emergency supplemental appropriations bill that is currently being drafted.  If included, the National Education Associate has estimated Michigan would receive an allocation of $754 million, which would fund 6,100 jobs.