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The numbers of students estimated to be displaced by Hurricane Katrina continued to grow last week in Louisiana and Mississippi, while those and other states began enrolling young evacuees in their schools.
| State | Students (as of Sept. 8) | Notes and Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 234,000 public and private school students displaced | Some affected schools hope to open by January, while others are not likely to open again school students displaced this school year, officials say. State chief seeking $2.8 billion in federal aid. |
| Mississippi | Some 80,000 students displaced | Schools in hardest-hit areas hope to open in October, and plan to rely on temporary facilities. State chief is seeking relief from federal NCLB laws. |
| Alabama | 3,100 evacuees received | Many evacuees have concentrated near Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and Anniston, though state officials say just about every district has reported enrolling evacuees. |
| Arkansas | Several hundred evacuees received | The Little Rock school district has enrolled more than 100 students, and rural districts report the arrival of students in church and Boy Scout camps. |
| Florida | 4,080 evacuees received | Florida has waived regular enrollment requirements for evacuees and opened a hotline, 1-877-FLCARE1, for information on access to all levels of education. |
| Georgia | 3,600 evacuees received | State officials have lifted mandatory class-size limits and want to remove all “bureaucratic hurdles.” State’s pre-K program has been opened to 4-year-old evacuees. |
| Illinois | 150 evacuees received | Illinois had received at least 150 student evacuees, though those numbers could grow soon. Most of those students were arriving in Chicago. |
| Kentucky | Number of evacuees unavailable | Jefferson County public schools were preparing last week to enroll evacuees expected at a shelter in the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville. |
| Missouri | 470 evacuees received | More than 100 districts have already enrolled students, including 150 in St. Louis. State is working with officials in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to gather school records. |
| North Carolina | 1,500 evacuees received | Most evacuees are in Charlotte and Raleigh. State is setting up a system to gather data on the evacuees. |
| Oklahoma | 500 evacuees received | At least 200 evacuated students are staying with friends and relatives; 280 others have been relocated to the Camp Gruber Army National Guard Center, and are enrolled in local schools. |
| South Carolina | 300-500 evacuees received | Districts are enrolling evacuees. State education agency negotiated deal with fuel vendor to guarantee a sufficient supply of diesel fuel for school buses. |
| Tennessee | 600 evacuees received | More evacuees expected. State education agency ordered districts to enroll students immediately without records, and said students’ special needs will be addressed. |
| Texas | 19,100 evacuees received | Officials expect the number of evacuees may eventually rise to 70,000, with most concentrated in Houston and other urban areas. Smaller districts near the Louisiana border have enrolled at least 1,500. |
| Source: Education Week | ||
Local Response
These and other districts are welcoming displaced students and teachers.
• Clark County, Nev.: Recruiting displaced teachers to fill some 350 vacancies in special education and a number of secondary positions, including mathematics, science, and English.
• Dallas: Enrolled 255 students; expecting to receive more than 1,000 evacuees.
• Houston: Enrolled 889 evacuees; expecting to register thousands of new students.
• Memphis, Tenn.: Registered about 425 student evacuees, and is offering four schools as Red Cross shelters.
• Miami-Dade County, Fla.: Enrolled fewer than 20 students last week, but expected more, and can accommodate up to 1,000 teachers.
• Philadelphia: Registered 22 students and may get as many as 1,000 evacuee families.
• Portland, Ore.: Expected to receive about 1,000 displaced residents by the end of last week.
• St. Paul, Minn.: Can take 5,000 students.
SOURCE: Council of the Great City Schools.
