LONG BEACH — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell issued the following statement regarding Assembly approval today of SB 606 by Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata (D-Oakland):

"I am very pleased that the Assembly voted to approve this bill which allocates $47 million in federal funding to pay for much needed intervention efforts at struggling schools. This funding will improve opportunities for some of our neediest students, including students living in poverty, those learning English, and those with disabilities. These intervention efforts are an important part of our ongoing effort to improve student achievement and close the achievement gap

"The local education agencies that will use this funding to pay for intervention efforts are under a very short timeline to spend the money before more than a third of the funds revert to the federal government. My department has been working hard to ensure that the affected school districts can move quickly to use these funds in time to improve student achievement. However, each day that passes makes this challenge more difficult.

"I hope that the Senate will move quickly to send this urgency measure to the Governor's desk and I urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign it with all due haste."