Hurricane Sandy help from FED Dept of Ed to SEAs LEAs IHEs

Department is reaching out to state education agencies (SEAs), local education agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education (IHEs), and state and local disaster recovery coordinators to let them know about issue-specific recovery resources.  Also, the Department is posting relevant information on a new Hurricane Sandy web page: http://www.ed.gov/sandy/.

Among the steps taken to date:
 

• The Department extended the application deadline for the Race to the Top-District competition http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-district/
  For school districts in states affected by Sandy and for which the President has issued a major disaster declaration or an emergency declaration http://www.fema.gov/disasters/

the new deadline is Wednesday, November 7, at 4:30 p.m. Washington, D.C. time.  For all other districts, the new deadline is today, November 2, at 4:30 p.m. Washington, D.C. time.

• In a statement http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/education-secretary-urges-colleges-adjust-application-deadlines-students-impacte Secretary Duncan encouraged colleges, universities, and scholarship programs across the country to consider extending their early November application deadlines to accommodate students who were impacted by Sandy and who may be experiencing hardships.  (Note: The National Association for College Admissions Counseling is maintaining a list of IHEs with extended deadlines at http://www.nacacnet.org/media-center/Documents/HurricaneSandy.pdf
• The Departments of Education and Agriculture reminded states and schools they may use stocks of foods purchased for the National School Lunch Program to help prepare meals at schools, shelters, or other congregate sites to feed local residents who may be in need of nutrition assistance  http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/fd-disasters/

 
Coming soon to http://www.ed.gov/sandy/: a toll-free number and dedicated email address for Sandy-related inquiries and questions and updated guidance on flexibility and waivers for SEAs, LEAs, IHEs, and other grantee and program participants.
 
Also, after hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, the Department developed a brochure, “Tips for Helping Students Recovering from Traumatic Events”
http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/recovering
to assist educators and parents who have students suffering from loss.
 
Want to help?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers a list of suggestions to aid fellow Americans at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/10/31/how-help-survivors-hurricane-sandy