Thousands of teaching jobs saved

Hartford (AP) - Connecticut officials say federal stimulus funding has helped save about 5,200 teaching jobs across the state.

State records show Connecticut has received about $612 million for education from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act so far.

The state has used the money to shore up education aid to cities and towns, which softened the blow of budget deficits caused by the recession.

But federal officials in a recent report, however, singled out Connecticut and other states for using stimulus money to plug budget holes instead of increasing aid to schools.

Local school officials say the stimulus funding they have received has saved many teaching jobs. Waterbury officials, for example, say 320 of the city's 1,450 teaching jobs were spared because of the aid.

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Information from: Republican-American