Sec. 612. Immediate aid to restart school operations
607 words·~3 min read·
/bill/115/s/2165/is/section-612A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the purpose of this section— to provide immediate services or assistance to local educational agencies in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands that serve a covered disaster area; and to assist school administrators and personnel of such agencies with expenses related to the restart of operations in, the re-opening of, and the re-enrollment of students in, elementary schools and secondary schools in such areas. From amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle, the Secretary is authorized to make payments, in accordance with paragraph (2), to State educational agencies in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to enable such agencies to provide services or assistance to local educational agencies serving a covered disaster area.
The Secretary shall make payments under paragraph
(1)on such basis as the Secretary determines appropriate, taking into consideration the number of students who were enrolled, during the 2015–2016 school year, in elementary schools and secondary schools that were closed— on September 7, 2017, as a result of Hurricane Irma; or on September 20, 2017, as a result of Hurricane Maria. From the payment provided by the Secretary under subsection (b), the State educational agency shall provide services and assistance to local educational agencies, consistent with the provisions of this section. In determining the amount to be provided for services or assistance under this section, the State educational agency shall consider the following: The number of school-aged children served by the local educational agency in the academic year preceding the academic year for which the services or assistance are provided. The severity of the impact of Hurricane Irma or Hurricane Maria on the local educational agency and the extent of the needs in each local educational agency in a covered disaster area. Each local educational agency desiring services or assistance under this section shall submit an application to the State educational agency at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the State educational agency may reasonably require to ensure expedited and timely provision of services or assistance to the local educational agency. A local educational agency receiving services or assistance from the State educational agency under this section shall use such services or assistance for— recovery of student and personnel data, and other electronic information; replacement of school district information systems, including hardware and software; financial operations; reasonable transportation costs; rental of mobile educational units and leasing of neutral sites or spaces; initial replacement of instructional materials and equipment, including textbooks; redeveloping instructional plans, including curriculum development; initiating and maintaining education and support services; and such other activities related to the purpose of this section that are approved by the Secretary. A local educational agency receiving services or assistance under this section may use such services or assistance in coordination with other Federal, State, or local funds available for the activities described in paragraph (1). Except as provided in paragraph (2), services or assistance made available under this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, any funds made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency or through Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. Paragraph
(1)shall not prohibit the provision of Federal assistance under this section to an eligible State educational agency or local educational agency that is or may be entitled to receive, from another source, benefits for the same purposes as under this section if— such State educational agency or local educational agency has not received such other benefits by the time of application for Federal assistance under this section; and such State educational agency or local educational agency agrees to repay all duplicative Federal assistance received to carry out the purposes of this section.