Is hiring a new teacher an allowable use of the ARRA dollars?
A. Yes, a district may hire teachers with Title I stimulus dollars. If the Title I dollars are being used in a targeted assistance school, then the teachers must be Title I teachers. Funds allocated to schoolwide schools may be used to hire additional teachers in the areas consistent with the schoolwide plan and needs assessment. Teachers must meet the definition of highly qualified under NCLB. Federal dollars must be used to supplement the staffing levels provided by state and local funds. The stimulus dollars are subject to all the same regulations as your regular Title I allocation, so if you would normally use Title I money for that activity, you can feel secure in budgeting stimulus funds for it as well.
