Even though the effects of President Obama's $447 billion Jobs Act are still unclear, Wisconsin officials are optimistic Wisconsin schools will benefit from the act.
The act is designed to put a struggling American workforce back to work by upgrading the nation's infrastructure and improving schools. But to what extent and in what ways remains to be seen.
Wisconsin could receive $369 million of the federal money to use repairing and modernizing K-12 schools and community colleges, according to estimates released by the White House Tuesday.
UW System Spokesperson David Giroux commented that two-year colleges often benefit more than four-year schools when the federal government passes similar legislation, but it's unclear whether Wisconsin's community colleges would qualify.
""There have been instances when they do and instances where they don't,"" Giroux said.
UW Colleges Spokesperson Teri Venker, whose two-year schools stand the most to gain from the Act, agreed it's unclear whether or not the UW colleges would be eligible to receive any of that potential jobs act money.
Despite some questions about details of the plan, Democrats and even some Republicans around the state and the country have articulated optimism surrounding the President's proposal.
U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., criticized the plan's ""reliance on tax increases.""
""The same failed policies of the past won't spur the future economic growth America needs and instead will stall the job creation we are now seeing in Wisconsin,"" Sensenbrenner said in a statement.
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., called for action in support of the plan.
""It was great to hear the President make a strong demand for action now,"" Baldwin said in a statement. ""I have been fighting to put people back to work right away rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges and schools.""
Although the details of the plan are currently vague, as soon as more information is released, Wisconsin officials will better understand the implications of the bill on Wisconsin schools.
