Congress proposes $2.7 billion in disaster relief for U.S. schools
Congress has proposed sending $2.7 billion to school systems devastated by hurricanes and wildfires last year — long-awaited money that could be used to replace books and equipment and help tens of thousands of displaced students.
It is the first aid proposed specifically for schools since Hurricane Harvey struck Texas in August, shutting down classes for more than a million children. Houston school Superintendent Richard A. Carranza said last year the storm caused an estimated $700 million in damage, about one-third of the district’s annual budget.
The aid would be distributed through the U.S. Department of Education, with money allocated on a per-student basis in disaster-affected schools. The bill proposes $100 million for colleges and universities and $25 million to aid college students forced to transfer because of natural disasters.
Storms and wildfires shut down school for millions of students this fall, and many students, who lost their homes, find themselves in new schools. Students are also grappling with the lingering effects of trauma and grief.