Education, Gulf Coast Rebuilding Sectors

• After the storm, more than 1,100 schools were closed (public, private and parochial) and 370,000 students were initially unable to attend school.
• Almost $2 billion has been provided to reopen schools along the Gulf Coast and educate students displaced from the storms. This included $200 million to help colleges and universities recover and educate displaced students. 100% of federal education dollars have been given to the states.
• FEMA has obligated more than $1.2 billion to the State of Louisiana for school buildings across the state, while Mississippi has received almost $300 million for education facilities. OFC has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Education (ED), FEMA, and state education leaders to ensure that these dollars translate into tangible progress.
• The vast majority of schools are reopened, including many new charters.
• In New Orleans, there will be more than 80 Public Schools available for this school year, with more than enough seats available for all the children expected.
• The Louisiana Dept of Education projects an enrollment of 33,000 students, roughly 6,000 more than last year. They have added an additional 11,000 seats to accommodate these students, with excess capacity for others who will continue to return.
• OFC and the US Department of Education have worked to support the city and state in this effort by granting more than $45 million to strengthen a network of charter schools.
• OFC worked closely with local stakeholders to ensure sufficient teachers for the coming school year. Through the recent supplemental, the US Department of Education has granted an additional $30 million to help recruit, retain, and compensate educators along the Gulf Coast ($22 million will go to Louisiana).
• OFC hosts regular calls with LA Superintendent Paul Pastorek and Recovery School District (RSD) Superintendent Paul Vallas to monitor progress and challenges specific to the Recovery School District.

New Orleans School Classrooms

• FEMA was asking the state to complete their master plan for permanent classrooms, thereby eliminating the need for more temporary facilities and allowing permanent structures to proceed. OFC worked with FEMA to agree to temporary classrooms.
• The federal team (OFC and FEMA) has been monitoring the progress of the temporary classroom units. The modular units will be ready prior to their site locations and, therefore, are being held for delivery.
  • Most sites will be ready in time for the beginning of the school year, with likely 2 exceptions.
  • Louisiana RSD had enough seats available for all students at the beginning of the 2007 school year.
• State Superintendent of Education in Louisiana Paul Pastorek requested that FEMA Public Assistance (PA) staff be co-located with RSD.
  • OFC expressed support for this request and worked with FEMA to ensure that the RSD now has a FEMA staff member embedded within their office.
• OFC facilitated, via conference calls with FEMA and state education officials, Superintendent Pastorek’s “Quick Start” program to build 5 new schools in New Orleans with Public Assistance funding from FEMA in time for the school year starting in September 2008. Funding has been secured and work has begun.

Other Education Needs

• OFC coordinated with the Louisiana Recovery Authority and FEMA to secure approval for donation of up to 250 unused modular units from FEMA surplus for New Orleans teachers.
• OFC recommended and initiated development of a Young Leadership Council project to support New Orleans public school teachers, the Teacher Assistance Network, that was launched in October 2006.
• OFC worked to expedite the approval for New Schools for New Orleans 501(c)(3) application.
• OFC spearheaded coordination between the Department of State and the Department of Education to disburse more than $60 million of Education funds donated from the international community.