Hurricane Relief for Students & Schools: Reimbursement & Restart Funding

December 19, 2005

U.S. House and Senate education leaders have reached a consensus agreement on a plan to provide education relief for students and schools affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  The bipartisan agreement reflects key components of a plan first offered by Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH) and Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-LA), including full participation for public, private, and charter schools and the elimination of bureaucratic hurdles and red tape that would otherwise have hampered the relief effort.

TARGETING RELIEF TO STUDENTS & SCHOOLS

• Funding will be provided based on individual students.  Local educational agencies (LEAs) will apply for and receive funding of up to $6,000 per displaced student enrolled by a public, private or charter school.  For students in special education, up to $7,500 will be provided.  Congress is making an estimated $645 million available to assist the schools enrolling displaced students.

• Schools will be reimbursed for the students they have enrolled.  Public, private, and charter schools will be reimbursed to help offset educational costs for students affected by the hurricanes, with funds to private schools provided through family accounts on behalf of displaced students.

SIMPLIFYING & STREAMLINING BUREAUCRATIC HURDLES

• Relief will be provided quickly.  Funds must be disbursed on behalf of displaced students within a strict timetable that ensures funds will reach schools quickly.

• Funds will pay for education, not red tape.  Hurricane relief funds will be used to reimburse schools for the educational expenses of students displaced by the Gulf Coast hurricanes.

HELPING DAMAGED SCHOOLS GET UP AND RUNNING

• In addition to offering relief to the schools that have welcomed displaced students, Congress is providing $750 million to help damaged schools in LA, MS, AL, and TX reopen their doors.

• Funding will be available to allow public, private, and charter schools to get the equipment, supplies, and materials needed to help schools become operational so students can return.

• Relief will be provided quickly to speed the recovery and support efforts already underway to help damaged communities rebuild.