Got BEEF?

Before Thursday, I had no idea what the BEEF committee did or how this group impacted education.

But when I heard that there was more than $27 million attached to it, I was interested.

For those who don't know, the Bossier Education Excellence Fund is a special fund in the state treasury and only the earned interest can be used. The other catch: it must be spent on educational programs. 

The Bossier Parish School Board voted Thursday to spend $231,311--the total interest earned in 2009-- on various programs including Junior Achievement and elementary and middle school robotics. But a drop in interest has meant less funding.

Almost $600,000 was available last year, said Debbie Hays, director of special programs for the district. Stimulus money will provide a cushion for programs like summer remediation, which will not be covered by the state this year. 

Here's a list of BEEF allocations for 2010 and a description of each program. 

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