Schools Still Shut for Thousands in Storm’s Wake

At least 20 school districts along or near the Texas Gulf Coast—including the 200,000-student Houston school district—were closed this week in the wake of Hurricane Ike, as efforts were under way to assess damage and begin the recovery process.

Some of the hardest-hit districts, such as the 8,000-student Galveston school district and the 1,500-student Anahuac district, faced extensive damage and were expected to be shut down for at least a month, if not longer.

“We’re still taking in reports from the field,” said DeEtta L. Culbertson, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency .