Showing posts with label US Department of Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US Department of Education. Show all posts

Friday, October 11, 2024

Resources to Support Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton (US Department of Education)


Under President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’ direction, the Administration continues to mobilize a robust, intensive, and whole-of-government response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. As life-saving response efforts continue in heavily impacted areas, the Administration is also working to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to federal resources to purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding. 
Last week, the President and Vice President traveled throughout the region, meeting with community leaders and reaffirming that the Administration will be with impacted communities every step of the way, no matter how long it takes, with the support they need (President’s statement and White House fact sheets 1 and 2).

The Administration also pre-positioned additional personnel and resources to prepare for the impacts of Hurricane Milton (President’s remarks and White House fact sheets 1, 2, and 3).

The Department closely follows the impacts of natural disasters on students, educators, staff, families, and others. Schools are a critical aspect of whole community recovery and provide education, nutrition, physical fitness, mental health counseling, and other resources to students and their families during day-to-day operations. When schools close following a natural disaster, it is crucial that these resources remain available to the community and that schools are reopened and operating as soon as possible. In 2018, to better assist K-12 schools, the agency’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) formed a Disaster Recovery Unit (DRU). The agency’s Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) and Federal Student Aid (FSA) office support postsecondary institutions.

In a press release and updated Homeroom blog, the Department curated resources, including several from other federal agencies and partner organizations, to restore the teaching and learning environment. Find more resources on the agency’s Natural Disaster Resources web page.