Hurricane-damaged Texas schools will receive $89 million from feds

May 01--The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that it has granted $89.4 million to Texas public and private schools ravaged by Hurricane Harvey.

The Texas Education Agency will disburse the money to help schools recover from the storm's damage. The money comes from Congress' $2.5 billion appropriation to help students affected by various natural disasters last year, including the California wildfires and hurricanes Irma and Maria.

"As communities get back on their feet in disaster affected regions, we continue to support them in every way we can," Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said in a news release. "This additional funding will ensure students, teachers and staff have ongoing access to the services they need to fully recover and rebuild."

California was awarded $14.4 million and Puerto Rico was given $589.2 million as a part of the first round of disaster money for schools.

Texas schools in the 47-county presidential disaster declaration are eligible for the money. The counties include Bastrop, Caldwell, Comal, Lee and Fayette. State officials haven't decided which schools will receive the money.

About 112,000 students were displaced by the storm, according to the TEA; 155 school districts have reported $907 million in damage to the TEA. The Federal Emergency Management Agency as well as schools' insurance will cover the bulk of the damage.

The federal government has already set aside about $13 million to help Texas schools recover from Harvey, including to help with internet connectivity and crisis counseling.

The latest money will help school districts pay for recovering student and staff data, replacing hardware and software, transportation costs, mobile educational units, leasing of space, initial replacement of textbooks and learning materials, redeveloping curriculum, and minor remodels and repairs, among other purposes.

Some districts hit by Harvey are also facing declining property tax revenue and enrollment. Texas education officials have already committed to spend an estimated $426 million this school year and next school year to help school districts cope with increased costs and funding losses associated with declining enrollment and property tax revenue. State lawmakers will have to decide next legislative session whether they want to appropriate an additional $860 million to help with funding issues during the two school years, according to TEA estimates.

School districts have also asked the state for a reprieve from state performance ratings this year. Education Commissioner Mike Morath has waived the requirement for Harvey-affected fifth- and eighth-graders to pass the math and reading state standardized tests to progress to the next grade. He also is expected to make a decision over the summer to grant some sort of reprieve to campuses and districts from state accountability ratings.

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