7 5 4 , 0 7 2 ▁in ▁AR RA ▁- ▁Federal ▁Stim ulus ▁money ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁specific ▁programs ▁like ▁special ▁education ▁and ▁meeting ▁the ▁academic ▁needs ▁of ▁low - in come ▁students . ▁The ▁fund ing ▁was ▁limited ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 – 1 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 ▁school ▁years . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁temporary ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁fund ing , ▁public ▁school ▁districts ▁were ▁repeatedly ▁ad vised ▁by ▁the ▁state ▁General ▁Assembly ▁and ▁Pennsylvania ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Education ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁funds ▁for ▁one - time ▁exp end it ures ▁like : ▁acqu iring ▁equipment , ▁making ▁rep airs ▁to ▁buildings , ▁training ▁teachers ▁to ▁provide ▁more ▁effective ▁instruction ▁or ▁purch asing ▁books ▁and ▁software . ▁ ▁Race ▁to ▁the ▁Top ▁Grant ▁New ▁Castle ▁Area ▁School ▁District ▁officials ▁did ▁not ▁apply ▁for ▁the ▁federal ▁Race ▁to ▁the ▁Top ▁grant ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁provided ▁over ▁one ▁million ▁dollars ▁in ▁additional ▁federal ▁fund ing ▁to ▁improve ▁student ▁academic ▁achiev ement . ▁Part icip ation ▁required ▁the ▁administration , ▁the ▁school ▁board ▁and ▁the ▁local ▁teachers ' ▁union ▁to ▁sign ▁an ▁agreement ▁to ▁prior it ize ▁impro ving ▁student ▁academic ▁success . ▁In ▁Pennsylvania , ▁ 1 2 0 ▁public ▁school ▁districts ▁and ▁ 5 6 ▁char ter ▁schools ▁agreed ▁to ▁particip ate . ▁Pennsylvania ▁was ▁not ▁approved ▁for ▁the ▁grant . ▁The ▁failure ▁of ▁districts ▁to ▁agree ▁to ▁particip ate ▁was ▁c ited ▁ ▁as ▁one ▁reason ▁that ▁Pennsylvania ▁was ▁not