By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — State officials are in limbo over the prospect of receiving millions of additional federal education dollars because they’re not sure how a rarity like Arkansas — a state operating in the black — could use the money.

The U.S. House is expected to vote this week on legislation that would provide $26 billion in aid to the states, $16 billion to help states pay their Medicaid bills and $10 billion to help keep teachers on the job in states running budget deficits.

The measure, which passed the Senate on Thursday, is on a congressional fast track because supporters want it signed before the school hear begins. House members are expected return from summer vacation and convene Tuesday to vote on the measure.

Arkansas’ share would be about $129 million for Medicaid and about $90 million for education.

While the additional Medicaid funding would certainly help the state, which has been working to try and slow growth in the $3.7 billion government health program for the poor, elderly and disabled, state officials said last week they’re not sure just how much of the education funding, if any, the state actually would receive.

“That is something we’re very interested in finding out,” said Matt DeCample, spokesman for Gov. Mike Beebe.

Arkansas is one of just four states that ended the fiscal year with a balanced budget, and state law requires public education to be funded before anything else.

“It’s the same issue we had when the stimulus money came down, but this is a different bill and different circumstances,” DeCample said.

Some of the federal stimulus money appropriated by Congress last year was designated for states facing deficit spending on education. Arkansas received special permission to use its $569 million share to improve facilities, upgrade technology, fund after-school programs and support special education.

Julie Thompson, spokeswoman for the state Department of Education, said that may be the case this time.

“I haven’t seen any guidance yet,” Thompson said. “When I first heard about it, it was my understanding that we would not be penalized because we have a balanced budget and had not had to make those cuts.”