American Library Association
Washington Office Newsline

ALAWON
Volume 15, Number 084
August 17, 2006

President Signs Perkins Funding Into Law

This past weekend, President Bush signed into law the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act (S. 250) conference report. The bill renews two programs that fund state technical and vocational education programs at high schools, community colleges and technical schools. In terms of library provisions, the bill includes new language proposed by ALA to expand the local uses of funds to enable schools to purchase publications.

This is an exciting new source of funding for school libraries. According to the legislative language, these funds may be used for leasing, purchasing, upgrading, or adapting equipment, including instructional aids and publications (including support for library resources) designed to strengthen and support academic and technical skill achievement.

Please contact your administrator to ensure that the needs of the school library are met. If you are told that purchasing materials and/or equipment for libraries is not an allowable use of funds, contact us immediately:

Melanie Anderson [American Library Association]
800-941-8478
manderson@alawash.org 




Lisa Walters
Library Media and Technology Consultant
P.O. Box 480
Jefferson City, Mo 65102-0480
573-526-4900
fax 573-526-7861
Lisa.Walters@dese.mo.gov