ED Issues “Ed Jobs” Guidance on Charter Schools

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 - In response to many charter schools' concerns that they might be cut out of the new $10 billion Ed Jobs fund, the U.S. Department of Education yesterday released guidance salving some, although not all, of their worries. (The guidance is appended at the end of this article.)

At issue was language in the original Aug. 13 guidance that seemed to indicate that funds could only be spent on staff who are directly paid by the local educational agency (LEA). This seemed to cut out school-level personnel who are employed by charter schools that are part of an LEA but operated by independent organizations. The new guidance says that a charter school may receive funds to employ certain school-level personnel even if the individuals are not considered employees of the LEA