Hurricane Relief for
Students, Families, April 25, 2006
U.S. House and Senate education leaders last year reached a consensus agreement on a plan to provide education relief for students, families, communities, and schools affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
A key component of the Gulf Coast hurricane relief and recovery effort is flexibility and adaptability. Entire communities have been uprooted by these unprecedented natural disasters, and bureaucratic red tape must not stand in the way of efforts to rebuild the region. The proposal for hurricane education relief includes common sense flexibility and assistance for early childhood, K-12, and higher education.
FLEXIBILITY & RELIEF FOR K-12 STUDENTS & SCHOOLS
Prioritizing educational services for displaced students over bureaucratic hurdles. For one year, the plan eases requirements for elementary and secondary schools, including:
Providing additional funding to meet the needs of students and schools. The plan provides additional resources for affected schools, including:
Reimbursing schools that have enrolled displaced students. For the current school year, funds are provided to reimburse public, private, and charter schools that have enrolled displaced students. Up to $6,000 per student ($7,500 per student in special education) is provided quickly and efficiently, with full participation by public, private, and charter schools. Funds must be provided to impacted schools within a strict timetable to speed the resources through bureaucratic hurdles.
Helping schools get the supplies and equipment to reopen their doors. The plan includes $750 million in funds to help damaged schools in LA, MS, AL, and TX access services, equipment, and supplies. Public, private, and charter schools would be able to access restart funds, with a minimum set aside for nonpublic schools reflecting their proportion in the state.
FLEXIBILITY FOR TEACHERS
Expanding opportunities for quality teachers to serve displaced students. For one year, the proposal allows states hiring highly qualified teachers or paraprofessionals from a hurricane impacted state to consider those educators to be highly qualified and meet NCLB requirements for teacher and paraprofessional qualifications.
ASSISTANCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS & SCHOOLS
Resources for higher education. The plan:
EXPANDING ACCESS TO CHILD CARE & EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Ensuring displaced children have access to Head Start. The plan:
Expanding access to child care services for displaced families. The plan eases federal requirements for state administration of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to give affected families easier access to child care services. |