U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced last week additional federal money will be made available for K-12 students affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, as well as the California wildfires.
Congress appropriated $2.5 billion “to help defray expenses related to the restart of operations in, the reopening of, and the re-enrollment of students in elementary and secondary schools” and to “provide assistance to [local education agencies] for the cost of educating (displaced) students enrolled in public schools, including charter schools, and private schools.” Another $25 million is to be used to address the needs of homeless students and youths, with states receiving the grants and making subgrants to districts in turn.
The package is part of the budget deal reached by lawmakers last month.
