Add as a preferred source on Google

Education Department Activates Emergency Response Contact Center

  • 08/29/17

Washington, D.C.– The U.S. Department of Education today activated its emergency response contact center in response to the devastating impacts of Hurricane Harvey. The Department’s K-12 and Higher Education stakeholders who are seeking informational resources as well as those seeking relief from Department-based administrative requirements should contact the Department toll free at 1-844-348-4082 or by email at [email protected].

The Department of Education’s primary role in natural disasters is to assist school districts and institutions of higher education in their recovery efforts. In addition to internal agency briefings, the Department is participating in daily interagency briefings led by the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA in order to understand the extent of the damage to educational infrastructure and the needs of its education stakeholders in the wake of Harvey. The Department's interagency work will inform and enhance the resources and relief that it will make available to school districts and institutions of higher education as the recovery work begins. In addition to its Federal partners, the Department has reached out to the Texas Education Agency, the Louisiana Department of Education and institutions of higher learning in the impacted areas and will be coordinating its recovery activities through these agencies and institutions. The full extent of the Hurricane’s impact will not be known for some time but we will stay in close contact with our partners. Last week, the Department began contacting more than 200 colleges and universities located in areas likely impacted by Harvey and will provide administrative flexibilities related to federal student aid rules. The Department has also directed federal student loan servicers to provide impacted borrowers flexibility in managing their loan payments during this time. Borrowers can contact their student loan servicer for more information or call 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) to find out their servicer’s contact information.

Featured

  • sapling sprouting from a cracked stone

    Lessons in Resilience: Disaster Recovery in Our Schools

    Facility managers play a pivotal role in how well a school weathers and recovers from a crisis. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, or a man-made event, preparation determines resilience.

  • Three U.S. Universities Install Acre Security Access Control Platform

    Cloud-native physical and digital security solutions company Acre Security recently announced that it has deployed its access control platform at three major universities in the U.S., according to a news release. Acre partnered with Atrium Campus to provide coverage for more than 69,000 students at the University of Virginia (UVA), George Mason University, and Rockhurst University.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Geometrik

    Armstrong World Industries, designer and manufacturer of interior and exterior architectural applications like ceilings, walls, and metal solutions, recently announced its acquisition of Canada-based Geometrik, according to a news release. The British Columbian Geometrik specializes in designing and manufacturing wood acoustical and wall systems.

  • Different Starting Points, Same End Goal

    Higher education campuses can enhance student experience by implementing mobile credentials to streamline building access, on-campus payments, and access to other amenities. This enables students to connect to their campuses through the technology they use most: their mobile devices.

Digital Edition