Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Secretary DeVos Announces New Federal Assistance for the Education of Displaced Students

  • 08/14/18

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today a total of approximately $359.8 million in new federal assistance for 20 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands under the Temporary Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced Students program (Emergency Impact Aid). The program assists with the cost of educating students displaced by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria or the 2017 California wildfires.

"The impact of natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires goes beyond the disaster area. The effects are felt nationwide, especially in those communities that take in displaced students and families," said Secretary DeVos. "This additional funding will ensure schools serving displaced students are able to meet their unique needs under such difficult circumstances."

Under the Emergency Impact Aid program, the Department is authorized to award funds to eligible state educational agencies (SEAs) to enable them to make payments to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) and eligible Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools for the cost of educating during the 2017-2018 school year public and non-public school students displaced by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, or the 2017 California wildfires.

These awards were made based on the quarterly counts of displaced students that are included in the SEA applications for Emergency Impact Aid. The statute specifies that the annual per-pupil amounts shall be the sum of $9,000 for each displaced student who is an English learner, $10,000 for each displaced student who is a child with a disability; and $8,500 for each student who is not reported as a child with a disability or an English learner.

Congress appropriated a combined amount of approximately $2.5 billion for Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart) and Emergency Impact Aid programs. The amounts awarded under each program are based on demand and specific data received from eligible applicants. The Department anticipates granting a second round of Emergency Impact Aid awards in the coming weeks which will include awards for both California and Puerto Rico.

To see a list of the 20 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands and amount of rewards they received, go here.

Featured

  • North Texas School District Completes Third New Elementary School

    The Denton Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, recently finished construction on its third prototype design elementary school, Reeves Elementary, according to a news release.

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.