Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, voted Thursday night for the Education Jobs Fund to keep 13,000 California teachers in the classroom.

Without this critical investment, California teachers would face massive layoffs. The funding will be awarded to individual states, and distribution of funds will be formula based.

The Education Jobs Fund also will help spur the economy. The Economic Policy Institute recently estimated that every dollar spent by local and state governments will boost GDP by $1.40.

The Recovery Act saved about 250,000 teaching jobs nationwide last year. These jobs are being threatened again this year by state budget cuts. Last year, the Recovery Act saved nearly 50,000 education jobs across California.

“I was proud to vote to save jobs of teachers in California,” Capps said. “If California is forced to layoff thousands of teachers, it will shortchange our children, increasing class size and forcing harmful program cuts. I can think of no better way to ensure economic recovery than educating our children.”

— Ashley Schapitl is the press secretary for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.