Beginning almost two years ago, the federal government, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), has spent an unprecedented amount on education--nearly $100 billion. The legislation calls for transparency; President Obama has warned that if funds are not spent wisely, "we will call it out, and we will publicize it." The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) is lending its support to this cause by helping to keep an eye on this huge pool of funds through its new Education Stimulus Watch (ESW) project. Since June 2009, AEI has issued six ESW reports that have delivered a careful, even-handed analysis of ARRA's implementation, with a particular focus on whether these federal dollars are leading to meaningful reform of our K-12 public education system.

"What will matter is not just whether these dollars are lawfully processed, but how they are allocated, monitored, and spent--and what this means for our students and our schools," says Frederick M. Hess, director of education policy studies at AEI. ESW has been an important tool in helping citizens, journalists, and policymakers understand how stimulus funds are being used, how to ensure they are used as wisely as possible, and what lessons this experience holds for K-12 improvement."