Wake school administrators fired back at state lawmakers Tuesday for criticism of how the school system is using federal stimulus money. Superintendent Del Burns told school board members that the county-wide system is spending the $47.3 million in a "fiscally responsible" way and that it has been used to save or create 588 jobs.

Since the spring, Wake school leaders have maintained that stimulus money was not the answer to the system's funding problems. Restrictions on how the money could be spent and the fact that the money is only being provided for two years, they said, presented a challenge in a tight budget year.

"We've decided to follow the course that the state lawmakers set in terms of class sizes," said Burns. "And tried to stay within federal parameters to use this money and minimize the impact of the funding cliff."

Burns said Wake has used the money as directed - primarily in special education and Title 1 programs. Title 1 is a federal designation for schools that serve primarily economically disadvantaged children. After 24 years in the classroom, Paige Bivens has become one of 45 new elementary school math coaches placed in Title 1 schools across the county.

""I think I took it on as a challenge," she said. "In that it was actually a challenge knowing that in two years we were going to create a change in our system."

Bivens said she is fully aware that her job at Brentwood Elementary may not be around in two years, but she believes her experience will make her a better teacher. School administrators said the placement of math and literacy coaches in selected schools will not only support teachers, but also provide long-term benefit for students.

"We may not be able to continue the program," said Burns. "But we have still benefited those children who got to participate."

Stimulus money also has been used to create and staff 26 new pre-kindergarten programs across the county and add 50 school-based special education coordinator positions to support special ed teachers.

"I can't argue with how they've used it because I do see the merit in it," said Jennifer Lanane, president of the Wake County chapter of the N.C. Association of Educators. "I do see that the money is going to go away. But I also see that teachers are back to work."

Lanane said in addition to the stimulus jobs, she has heard from a number of teachers who have gotten jobs in the last week, following the school system's tenth day enrollment count.

"Slowly, slowly, people are coming back," she said. "That's good to see."