State Education Director Ken James met with school officials to outline plans for a coming infusion of more than a half-billion dollars in federal stimulus money over the next six months.

Individual school district allocations will be announced next week.

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About a fifth of the money will go to education for disabled students. The biggest pot of momey, more than $340 million can be spent on existing categorical aid programs and also (deep breath) on renovation, modernization and construction. I gulp here thinking of the visions of field houses, indoor practice facilities and jumbotrons that might dance through the heads of some school officials. The education department’s guidance is that money should be used for education objectives. In fact, James said, spending on athletic facilities is specifically barred. But whagt about building them with money freed from other projects now financed by stimulus?

Here’s the department’s full release.

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