The federal jobs bill that was signed into law last week includes $1.2 billion earmarked for California schools. With the money, school districts across the state are expected to rehire some 16,500 teachers who were laid off at the end of the last school year. Most school districts are loath to begin hiring, however, since the California State House remains deadlocked on the coming year’s budget.

“Districts are going to be reluctant to make any solid decisions about this money until they have solid information about what the state budget will contain,” said Rick Pratt, assistant executive director of the California School Boards Association.