Some two months after enactment of the federal economic-stimulus package, school facilities directors are still trying to piece together how much money will be available under the measure for school construction projects, what it can be used for, and when it can be accessed. Before President Barack Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law on Feb. 17, the U.S. House of Representatives had passed a version of the bill that included $14 billion specifically for school construction, renovation, and modernization. Likewise, the U.S. Senate had included $16 billion for school facilities in a version of the legislation, but the provision was taken out to obtain the support the stimulus package needed from key Republican senators. But facilities experts say that although states have the option of using some of that money for school facilities projects, the funds will most likely go toward preventing teacher layoffs and backfilling other budget shortfalls, leaving little, if any, for renovation, modernization, or construction projects.