Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, has announced that the Education Department has approved California’s application for $1.2 billion to fund teachers’ jobs in the upcoming year. The funding was made available with the passage of Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act that Capps voted for.

The full cost of the legislation, $26.1 billion, was completely offset and actually contributes to deficit reduction, according to Capps. In fact, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill would actually reduce the deficit by $1.37 billion over the next 10 years, she said.

“I applaud the Department of Education’s quick action to get this much-needed funding to California to invest in our kids and keep teachers in the classroom,” Capps said. “This investment, in conjunction with an additional $487 million in Recovery Act funding for education jobs in California announced last week, will go a long way toward ensuring that children on the Central and South Coast start the school year off right.”

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