Last week President Obama signed into law the Jobs Bill. The bill provides $26 billion to states to support education jobs and fund Medicaid budgets.

The U.S. Senate approved the bill on August 5, followed by the U.S. House of Representatives on August 10.

Washington is expected to receive $530 million. The state will receive $320 million for Medicaid and $208 million to pay salaries for 3,000 teachers who were in line to lose their jobs.

According to the U.S. Deparment of Education over the last two years the federal government has been able to support 300,000 education jobs through stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

To date, seven states have drawn down 100% of previously allocated funding under the State Fiscal Stabilizatioon Fund, while 18 states have drawn down 80% or more. According to the Center on Education Policy 75% of school districts that received stimulus funds expect to cut teaching positions in the upcoming school year.

Guidance and applications for the federal dollars have been sent to Governors.