June 13, 2009 — Gov. John deJongh, Jr. left Saturday for an education symposium in North Carolina with some of the nations governors. While in the Tarheel State, deJongh will meet with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to discuss the anticipated release of rules and regulations governing the Virgin Islands' use of State Stabilization Funds in the recent federal stimulus package.
"These funds, which are being made available through the federal stimulus bill and which we have requested, are a means of bridging the revenue shortfall our government is experiencing as a result of the economic recession, deJongh said in a Government House statement. DeJongh has been in frequent contact with Duncan and Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar to discuss the release of the State Stabilization Funds, and has spoken with Vice President Joe Biden and his key staff members, according to Government House.
I am fairly certain the guidance on the State Stabilization Funds for the territories will be released and that our discussions with the Obama Administration have been useful in their understanding our urgent need to access this source of funding," deJongh said.
While in North Carolina, deJongh will join 21 of the nations governors at the Governors Education Symposium sponsored jointly by the National Governors Associations Center for Best Practices and the James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Education Leadership and Policy. The two-day meeting will look at standards and assessments, teacher effectiveness and supporting low-performing schools.
While the governor is gone, Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis is acting governor. DeJongh will return to the territory on Tuesday.
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