Rhode Island Teaching Jobs Get Funding

Many Rhode Island teaching jobs will soon be saved with the help of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The State of Rhode Island is slated to receive $111 million in federal stimulus money for education. Before receiving the funding, the state had to complete the first part of a stabilization application, which included assurances it would collect and analyze information about teachers and college readiness.

The Department of Education also requires Rhode Island to report the number of jobs saved through stimulus funding, the amount of state and local tax increases avoided and how funds are used, according to an article by The Associated Press.

The state's education officials say the money will help reform the education system and save hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs that are in danger because of budget cuts.

Education officials say the money will help reform the education system and save hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs that are in danger because of budget cuts. Rhode Island has already received $43 million in education stimulus funds and will be eligible to apply for another $54 million this fall.

As of March, Rhode Island's education and health services industry employed 100,000 workers, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 100,400 workers during February and the same number of workers employed in the industry this time last year.