Letter from
US Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings to State
Chief Education Officers regarding Hurricane Katrina Relief and
NCLB
Margaret
Spellings, Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, September 7,
2005
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"Given the
differences in the nature and extent of the damage and
circumstances among States, we believe an individualized,
case-by-case approach is the most effective means for meeting
the needs at this time.
However, I wanted to describe for you some of the available
resources and examples of the areas in which flexibility will be
available."
Letter from US Department of Education Secretary Margaret
Spellings to State Chief Education Officers regarding Hurricane
Katrina relief and NCLB:
September 7, 2005
Dear Chief State School Officer:
During the past few days, as we have been in close and constant
contact with State and local officials in the Gulf Coast region
and surrounding States, one thing has been clear -- local
schools are working hard to make sure all students are back in
school as soon as possible.
Displaced children are being enrolled in order to return their
lives to normal as quickly as possible. Institutions of higher
education have responded similarly, as colleges and universities
across the country have offered admission to displaced students,
in many cases offering free or reduced tuition. I am proud of
America's educators' efforts and intend to do everything within
our power to assist where appropriate and where needed to enroll
every child in school with the necessary resources to ensure a
high-quality education. As you know, neighboring districts as
well as many of your States are working tirelessly to welcome
displaced students, including waiving State and local
requirements that might impede the immediate enrollment of these
students due to such difficulties as lost records.
We are working to assess and respond flexibly to the needs of
the most directly affected States, especially Louisiana and
Mississippi, as well as Texas and other States that have
received large numbers of displaced students. These States,
districts, and schools have our full support, and we are working
with them to determine student and school-related needs and to
coordinate and deploy resources.
Given the differences in the nature and extent of the damage and
circumstances among States, we believe an individualized,
case-by-case approach is the most effective means for meeting
the needs at this time. However, I wanted to describe for you
some of the available resources and examples of the areas in
which flexibility will be available.
* Waivers and Modifications. The Department will consider
promptly requests for waivers under the waiver authority in the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as
amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, including,
among other things, waivers of maintenance-of-effort
requirements. For discretionary grant programs, the Department
will work with individual grantees if they wish to modify their
grants to refocus their grant activities on relief efforts. The
Department will also consider requests for waivers of fiscal and
administrative requirements of the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). A streamlined process for
waiver submissions by affected States and other grantees will be
developed immediately. Further, States already have authority to
allow school districts to increase the percentage of funds that
may be carried over to the next fiscal year under Title I, Part
A of the ESEA and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program.
* Highly qualified teacher requirements. The Department will
work with affected States and school districts to determine what
flexibility will be needed in affected areas with regard to
highly qualified teacher requirements, while ensuring that
students are receiving appropriate instruction. We will work
with you on situations such as displaced teachers working in
your State. In all of these matters, we will always keep the
best interests of the students and teachers in mind.
* Reallocation of funds. We will work with States and school
districts that want to transfer or reallocate Federal funds
between districts, when a particular district or districts are
unable to use funds they previously received. This could include
the transfer of funds to districts in other States that are
serving displaced students.
In addition, we will identify Federal funds that have not yet
been obligated by the Department and determine whether they can
be made available to the affected areas. Districts receiving
additional funds under certain programs will need to ensure that
program services are provided on an equitable basis to eligible
students who, due to the hurricane, have transferred into
private schools in their district.
* Supplemental appropriations. Funds for the specific purpose of
providing disaster relief are already available. Congress has
just enacted the President's request for $10.5 billion in
disaster relief for the Gulf Coast, of which $10 billion is to
be administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
and $500 million is to be administered by the Department of
Defense. President Bush has called this "a down payment" on
future resources and assets to be provided. We recognize the
particular need for temporary educational facilities, and we
want to make sure that affected jurisdictions are aware that
FEMA funds can be used for portable classrooms, as well as for
student transportation costs. School district officials should
work with State and FEMA representatives to request assistance
for these costs. In addition, the Department is working closely
with the Office of Management and Budget as the President
prepares further supplemental requests for relief to ensure that
schools have the resources they need to provide high-quality
education for these students.
These are examples of the major areas in which flexibility and
resources are available. The Department welcomes your input on
other areas in which accommodation may be necessary.
We are also coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) to determine the immediate immunization
needs of displaced students. We want to be certain that the most
appropriate procedures are in place for ensuring that students
have up-to-date immunizations without creating barriers that
will prevent students who do not have their records from
enrolling in and attending school.
I also want to share with you a few of the Department's efforts
to coordinate the outpouring of support for the affected schools
and students from around the country. The Department has
launched a "Hurricane Help for Schools" website
http://www.ed.gov/news/hurricane/index.html that will
serve as a nationwide clearinghouse to address the needs of
affected schools in coordination with the National Response Plan
already activated by the Department of Homeland Security. The
website is interactive, allowing affected schools to post their
specific needs and allowing students from schools across the
nation, as well as others, to be active participants in meeting
those needs. I am also convening a meeting this week of the
major national education organizations so that we all may
coordinate efforts to deploy resources most efficiently.
Finally, I am sending senior-level Department officials to
affected areas to provide direct and personal contact to make
sure local and State needs are being adequately addressed.
I am deeply moved by the efforts already under way to ensure
that those who have lost so much are swiftly provided with as
much educational support as possible. I look forward to working
with all of you in the coming days, weeks, and months on this
critical effort.
Sincerely,
Margaret Spellings
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