American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA)
EEC Board Meeting
April 14, 2009
ARRA Requirements Overlay
Existing Federal Law
ARRA Requirements
Federal Agency Guidance
on ARRA
Governor’s Office, State
Comptroller, and Legislature
EEC
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ARRA
Constraints
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Funding is available on a two year basis only;
Funding should expand, not supplant existing budgeted and
appropriated funding;
Expenditures must be directly tied to stimulating economic
activity/creating and protecting jobs;
Funds must be spent with transparency and accountability;
Where applicable, funding will be subject to existing rules and
regulations of the governing funding source with additional
specific guidance to be provided by relevant federal agencies;
Applicable Goals
Spend quickly to preserve and create jobs and promote
economic recovery;
 To assist those most impacted by the recession;
 To stabilize State and local government budgets, in order to
minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and
counterproductive state and local tax increases.

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Administration for Children and Families:
ARRA Guidance
CCDBG
EEC Award: $23.9 Million
$20.1 Million to Provide Access to Financial Assistance for Child Care For
Low Income Families
 $3.8 Million in Quality Set-Aside
 $1.1 Targeted to Infant Toddler Quality

Wampanoag Tribe Award: $4,716 (Not Administered by EEC)
Guidance
Assist those most impacted by the recession through the provision of
funds to expand services to additional children and families;
 Through targeted funds, improve the quality of child care to support the
health and well-being of children;
 Activities allowable must fall within EEC’s existing program
requirements, per State Plan.*

*Any changes to program requirements such as provider rates (e.g., provider rate increases), income
eligibility guidelines, and sliding fee scale require State Plan amendment and federal approval
which may delay implementation of ARRA programming.
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U.S. Department of Education:
ARRA Guidance
IDEA Part B- Preschool Special Education
Award
$10,263,466, to be distributed in 2 parts
1. First allocation: $5,131,733 available for FY09/FY10
2. Second allocation: $5,131,733 available in late Sept for
FY10/FY11, with rigorous reporting requirements
Guidance
•
Must be used to support preschool special education;
•
Funds must demonstrate a “sustainable commitment” given
they are one-time in nature;
•
100% goes directly to school districts; no set-aside;
•
ESE/EEC have limited discretion on use of funds, but may
encourage certain expenditures.
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Governor’s Office: MA Recovery Plan
Mission
Governor Patrick has unveiled a plan to secure our common economic future that
will integrate state, federal and private resources so we can deliver immediate relief
and long-term solutions.
Deliver Immediate Relief:
•Road, bridge and rail projects that put people to work today
•Services such as unemployment insurance and health care that sustain people
who are especially vulnerable during a crisis
Invest in a Better Tomorrow:
•Education and infrastructure investments to position us for a better
tomorrow
•Clean energy, broadband, and technology investments to cut costs and grow
the economy
•Preparing workers for the jobs of tomorrow in growth and innovation
industries
Reform State Government:
•Eliminate Pension and ethics loopholes that discredit the work of government
•Revitalize transportation systems that have suffered from a pattern of neglect
and avoidance on Beacon Hill
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State Appropriations Process :
CCDBG ARRA Funds
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•
EEC Board makes budget recommendation to
Secretary of Education
•
Secretary of Education makes final
recommendation to Governor’s Budget Office
(Administration and Finance)
•
Appropriations bill needs to be filed
State Comptroller: ARRA Guidance
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
Unprecedented reporting and monitoring requirements to
ensure transparency

Tracking and accountability of communication, decision
making, and planning

No “co-mingling” ARRA funds with existing federal revenue

All ARRA programs must contain measurable goals closely
tied to federal requirements

All expenditures to be closely monitored
Draft Principles for ARRA Expenditures:
EEC Board’s Fiscal and Budget Committee
Sustainability
Invest one-time ARRA funds thoughtfully to minimize the “funding cliff”
Accountability
Ensure transparency, reporting and accountability
Economic Impact
Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs
Collaboration
Develop cross-agency initiatives to maximize benefits to children
Reform
Use ARRA to promote reforms and cost saving initiatives that will provide a
foundation for future growth
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Prioritization
Prioritize limited resources toward children with the greatest education and
care needs and multiple risk factors. EEC’s Strategic Plan emphasizes that the
Department values all children and all families. In a fiscally constrained
environment, the Strategic Plan also recognizes that children with the greatest
educational needs and multiple risk factors come first.
EEC Outreach and Planning Process for
ARRA
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• Proposals evaluated based on ease of implementation and
“match” to federal requirements, Strategy Screens, and
Board Principles for ARRA Expenditures
3
• Prioritize and refine proposals through Advisory Team and
Board Committees
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5
6
10
• Solicit Ideas from the Field (77 unduplicated ideas)
• EEC Board Input
• EEC staff develop cost estimates and implementation plan
• EEC Board Final Recommendation to Secretary of Education
CCDBG ARRA Quality Funds: Ideas
From Field
Ideas for CCDBG ARRA Quality expenditures fall into
the following key categories
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Invest in Programs to Meet and Maintain Quality
Standards and Requirements
QRIS Development and Implementation
Expand Existing Quality Initiatives
Local/Regional Coordination or Resources/Systems
Building
Development New Standards, Resources, and
Opportunities
Capital Improvements
CCDBG ARRA Quality Preliminary Priorities
Total $3.8 M ($1.1 M for Infant Toddler Quality)
Provide one-time funds to Invest in Programs to Meet and
Maintain Quality Standards and Requirements
Priority
Strategy
Screen
Score
Estimated
Allocation
Measurable
Goals/
Outcomes
Accreditation/ Assessment
11
TBD
TBD
Professional Development
11
TBD
TBD
New Licensing
Requirements
11
TBD
TBD
(fees, consultations, materials,
etc.)
(fees, scholarships, etc.)
(behavioral health, playground
renovations, oral health, etc)
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* Please note: Maximum score on Board Strategy Screen is 11.
CCDBG ARRA Access to Financial Assistance
Preliminary Priorities
Total $20.1 M
Priority
Strategy
Screen
Score
Approx.
Number of
Children
Served
Estimated
Cost Over 2
years
Summer Only
Vouchers
11
TBD
TBD
Continuity of Care:
Aging up
11
TBD
TBD
Continuity of Care:
Siblings
11
TBD
TBD
Extend Job Search
from 8 to 26 weeks
11
TBD
TBD
2 year Self Sufficiency
Voucher
11
TBD
TBD
* Please note: Maximum score on Board Strategy Screen is 11.
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ARRA Key Next Steps
Immediately develop policy implementation
plan/recommendations for supporting Summer-Only Care
through EEC Financial Assistance for working families in
need with a focus on preventing summer learning loss
Further analyze and develop other access and quality
initiatives including cost estimates and implementation
options
Work closely with EOE, ESE and other state agencies to
maximize funding and align ARRA funding priorities
Further discuss all of the above at May 12th Board
Meeting and make appropriate budget recommendations
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