Part B Hurricane Disaster Relief Information

Click HERE for notes from Hurricane Emergency Relief Teleconference: State Part B and Part C Programs in the Southeast Region (September 14, 2005) (Word)

School districts are taking steps to ensure that students receive specially designed instruction and related services as needed. However, we also understand that the lack of records or other documentation, including verification from the most recent placement may prove difficult or even more likely, impossible. The following document is provided to assist you in this process:
Florida's Emergency Response Plan (Word)

From the US Department of Education: Hurricane Help for Schools http://www.ed.gov/news/hurricane/index.html

• 9/7/05 Letter to Chief State School Officers from Margaret Spellings
• Fact Sheet & Resources
• Press Release
• Education for Homeless Children
• Postsecondary Students, Borrowers & Schools

Waivers and Modifications
The Department will consider promptly request for waivers, including waivers of maintenance of effort requirements, under the waiver authority in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the NCLB Act of 2001. States already have authority to allow school districts to increase the percentage of funds that may be carried over to the next fiscal year under Title I, Part A of the ESEA and the Safe and Drug Free Schools program.

Reallocation of Funds
The Department will work with States and school districts that want to transfer or reallocate Federal Funds between districts, when a particular district or districts are unable to use funds they previously received. This could include the transfer of funds to districts in other States that are serving displaced students

Supplemental Appropriations
FEMA funds can be used for portable classrooms, as well as for student transportation costs. School district officials should work with State and FEMA representatives to request assistance for these costs

From the US Agriculture Department (USDA): Flexibility to Feed Children after Hurricane http://www.usda.gov

“…schools may serve all meals free to attending children through 9/30/05.”
If schools can still operate school food programs but are no longer able to document which children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, they may serve all meals free to attending children. The waiver applies through September 30, 2005. When families outside the hurricane area take in children made homeless by the disaster, school officials are to treat the evacuee children as homeless – meaning they are automatically eligible for free meals and children in the families that took them in can be considered eligible for free or reduced-price meals at the discretion of school officials

From the US House Education & the Workforce Committee: House Approves Higher Education Relief for Students Impacted by Hurricane Katrina (Contact Alexa Marrero or Kevin Smith, 202-225-4527)

The Pell Grant Hurricane and Disaster Relief Act (H.R. 3169)
The Secretary of Education has new flexibility to waive burdensome requirements on students who may be forced to withdraw from higher education due to natural disaster declared by the President. Such students would not be forced to repay Pell Grant aid, a requirement that could place undo burden on students already forced to contend with significant hardships due to natural disasters.

From Nancy Reder per NASDSE President Doug Cox (September 16, 2005) (Contact Emily Sanders for more information at emily@seasweb.net or 877.221.7327)

IEP Information for Displaced Students from MS and LA
In dealing with the enrollment of students with disabilities from other states and districts, Computer Automation, the maker of Special Education Automation System (SEAS), a web based data management system, can transfer IEP information to receiving LEAs.

 

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