ED Proposes Lifting Administrative Cap for Title I, IDEA Stimulus Funds

Washington, Aug. 14—The U.S. Department of Education (ED) plans to allow states to use up to $41 million in administrative funds to defray the costs of significant new data collection requirements mandated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

ED will publish a proposal in Monday's Federal Register that would allow states to lift statutory caps on the use of those funds for Title I, Part A and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The long-awaited new funding would be in addition to the amounts states already may reserve for the regular administration of these programs, but only would be allowed to go toward data collection requirements "specifically related to ARRA funding for these programs." States could adjust only amounts for their ARRA supplemental allocations, not their regular allocations, and only for fiscal year 2009.