American Samoa stands to receive millions more in federal funding for education under a bill just signed into law by President Barack Obama.
The new law replaces the 2001 "No Child Left Behind" law and would boost territory education funding by almost a third, and possibly as much as two-thirds for American Samoa, according to Congressional Research Service estimates.
The new formula for education funding came after a year-long effort, led by the Northern Marianas' CNMI Congressman Greg Kilili Sablan on the Education Committee, and American Samoa's Aumua Amata Radewagen.
"I couldn't be more pleased with the change in the funding formula for title one of the East Elementary Education Act. So with this increased funding the new formula will provide an extreme, and much needed, enhancement to our education system in American Samoa."
There is just under $11 million for American Samoa under the current funding formula, but Congresswoman Radewagen's office estimates a hike of at least about US$4-million dollars, in federal school aid.
Pago Pago, American Samoa. Photo: AFP
