This is a time of crisis as well as opportunity for the education community in the Northwest. While we face unprecedented financial challenges in the years ahead, passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 will help to address current budget shortfalls—and, if used wisely, can promote greater innovation and better outcomes for our learners. A large influx of federal funds will soon begin flowing to our states. And, all of us will need good information and evidence to help us make sure these investments in education pay off.

To this end, I am pleased to introduce a new service from Education Northwest that provides information and assistance related to ARRA implementation.

We at Education Northwest are acutely aware of the concerns of educators and policymakers in our region as they confront the influx of funding and (inevitably) regulations that come with this stimulus package. Not only will there be a thicket of rules to navigate, there also will be a need to make choices and use evidence so that our investments foster successful and sustained learning. As your partner for the past four decades in this continuing pursuit, we feel an urgent duty to respond. We have, therefore, established this Web site as a portal to the information and assistance you need.

While there are many sources of information about ARRA, and many more appear daily, this site will be unique. It will focus exclusively on the needs of agencies, policymakers, and practitioners in the Northwest states - particularly Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.

The site will grow as ARRA evolves and agency needs surface. Visit us often to find an increasing number of information sources, state-specific solutions, and referrals to products and services that support sustainable, effective investments of ARRA funds. Education Northwest is investing its own resources to offer this assistance to our long-time friends and associates at no cost, and we sincerely hope you will take advantage of them and use the communication links here to ask questions and tell us what you need.

Education Northwest is dedicated to ensuring that all children grow up in vibrant learning environments where they can succeed. This stimulus funding initiative is a critical opportunity to make sustainable investments toward that end. Let's work together to make it happen.