This year there is a big pot of Stimulus money set aside for schools and school districts. It is funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). Much of it will flow through Title I and IDEA programs. However, it can’t be spent on just anything.  It can only be used on one-time investments to expand capacity, without incurring ongoing expenses.  The goal is to maximize short term investments, minimize unsustainable ongoing commitments, and integrate coherent new improvement strategies that are aligned with the core reform goals and assurances, with lasting results for students, and teacher, school and district capacity for improvement.

Recurring, subscription programs do not qualify. Web-based, subscription programs do not meet this standard. Ripple Effects does. RE software applications are sold as a permanent license for a one-time fee, like other software applications, such as Microsoft Word™, or Intuit’s Quickbooks™.

Actual implementation can be staged over a longer period, with templates for site-based planning and district level implementation timelines included at no extra charge. For an extra fee Ripple Effects can provide a written, district level, three year plan as part of the one time fee.

Four assurances needed

Clear goals, data collection and enhanced teacher effectiveness must be part of every program that uses these funds.  In addition, a large portion of the funds need to go to turning around troubled schools and troubled students within schools. Ripple Effects programs meet these criteria.