[StBernard] Governor Blanco meets with U.S. Education Secretary

[Westley Annis]

Governor Blanco meets with U.S. Education Secretary
Requests federal help for displaced students and for greater aid for
impacted school districts 

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Hoping to obtain assistance for impacted school districts
and several federal waivers to help Louisiana schools in the wake of
hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today met
with U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings in Washington, D.C.

Governor Blanco is in Washington where she testified Wednesday before a
House Committee about Louisiana's preparation and response to Hurricane
Katrina. While in the nation's Capitol, Governor Blanco is meeting with
federals officials to discuss ways the federal government can continue to
help Louisiana citizens and institutions recover or rebuild.

Governor Blanco urged Spellings to support legislation in Congress that
would provide school districts that have accepted displaced students $6,000
per student and $7,500 for each special needs student

"Our school districts outside the storm zone have done an amazing and
wonderful job of welcoming displaced students and their families into the
fold," Governor Blanco said. "But these same school systems have also had to
bear increased costs to educate these children. At a time when we are
building schools in Iraq, it seems to me that providing an extra amount of
support for these impacted schools is entirely appropriate."

During Louisiana's recent special legislative session, the state provided
some additional funding to help with the cost of providing services to
displaced students. Six hundred twenty-five dollars will be allocated to
local school districts in Louisiana for every displaced student enrolled on
September 16, 2005. An additional $625 can also be allotted to districts
based on their enrollment of displaced students as of November 1, 2005.

Because of the massive disruption and displacement caused by Katrina,
Governor Blanco and Louisiana Department of Education officials have
requested several waivers of the U.S. Department of Education. Those include
requests for:

*	A one-year extension for meeting the federal requirement that "all
core academic subjects" must be taught by a teacher who meets NCLB [I don't
know what this stands for] "highly qualified requirements." This waiver is
necessary because the state cannot provide documentation for many teachers
due to destruction of records. Further, some displaced teachers have found
positions in other school districts within their area of certification, but
outside their highly qualified area.

*	Maximum flexibility to educate displaced students and provide for
costs not reimbursed by FEMA.

*	To place the Louisiana Department of Education in a "hold harmless"
posture for federal program administrative and state activities funding at
the state level for two years. This waiver is needed because of the loss in
student population and the resulting decline in federal dollars for
administrative services. To provide necessary services to help local school
districts recover from the storms, it is critical that DOE have sufficient
administrative funding support for federal programs.

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The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation (LDRF), Louisiana's fund for
Louisiana's people, has been established by Governor Kathleen Babineaux
Blanco in order to support long-term family restoration and recovery and
help provide assistance to our citizens in need through a network of
Louisiana charities and non-profit agencies.

1-877-HELPLA1 (877-435-7521) www.louisianahelp.org