Federal funds will save New Jersey teaching jobs, but questions remain

New Jersey will be getting $268 million in federal money to restore some teaching positions. It’s part of a jobs bill signed into law Tuesday by President Obama. It’s the same bill that extends Medicaid funding that both New Jersey and Pennsylvania factored into their current budgets.

There are still plenty of questions about how New Jersey will get its school funding.

New Jersey School Boards Association spokesman Frank Belluscio says it’s not clear which of the state’s school districts will receive the money or even just when it will become available.

“We’ve has such widespread teaching staff reductions in New Jersey, many superintendents feel that even if the funding comes early in the school year they’ll still be able to use it to restore positions,” he says.

Belluscio says 80% of New Jersey school districts reduced their number of teachers because of cuts in education aid and voter rejection of school budgets. The federal funds could save an estimated 3900 teacher jobs in the state.

A spokesman for Governor Christie says the administration is working with the federal Education Department to determine just how and when the money will be distributed.